Bhilwara's Tale of Negligence: Infected Docs, Latest COVID-19 Case Hint at Possible Community Spread

An investigation has revealed that a person from Bhilwara, which has turned into the coronavirus capital of Rajasthan and from where the state's first Covid-19 death has been reported, was admitted to five different hospitals in an increasingly deteriorating condition before finally being tested positive for the virus on Wednesday.

The patient, whose name is being withheld to protect his/her identity, is believed to have transmitted the infection to many others.

The administration has imposed curfew in nine villages of Bhilwara, which were till yesterday out of its purview after the test result of the patient returned positive. Twenty-six members of the patient's family have also been quarantined.

The root of the transmission to this person is said to be the same hospital - Brijesh Bangar Memorial Hospital - in Bhilwara whose coronavirus-infected doctors treated hundreds of patients before themselves testing positive for the virus.

"This person had visited Bangar hospital in the first week of March after feeling some heart ache. He received treatment there but when his condition did not improve, he was referred to a hospital in Ahmedabad," said a government official.

After returning home and still feeling uneasiness, the patient again visited Bangar hospital and was sent home, added the official. "He then went to a government clinic near his village after a few days and from there again he was referred to the government MG Hospital in the city, where finally his blood samples were sent for testing, which came back positive on Wednesday afternoon," he said.

But officials, who did not wish to be named, said they feared a spike in cases in rural Bhilwara because over the past few days this patient daily met between 100-150 persons. This happened on the back of a rumour about the patient having died at home after which several people visited to pay their last respects.

"Now we've sealed all these villages and are questioning everyone who came to meet him. We're getting their blood samples as well," said the official. "This is apart from the quarantine of the 26 people from his family that we have already ensured. Meanwhile, this person is getting proper treatment and his condition is steadily improving."

The story from Bhilwara follows the same pattern of repeated negligence that has allowed many coronavirus-positive persons to roam about freely, spreading the disease at an alarming rate within their community.

On Thursday, the first Covid-19 related death was reported from Bhilwara. Of the more than 40 positive cases, 17 have been reported from this city. The deceased was identified as one 73-year-old Narayan Singh, resident of Sham ki Sabzi Mandi, Bhilwara.