Coronavirus: 11 more healthcare workers at AIIMS test positive, total cases at 206

As many as 11 healthcare workers, including two resident doctors, have tested positive for coronavirus at the AIIMS on Friday, taking the total number of hospital staff infected so far to 206. Since February 1, 206 healthcare workers including two faculty, ten resident doctors, 26 nurses, nine technicians, five mess workers, 49 hospital attendants, 34 sanitation workers and 69 security guards have been infected by the novel coronavirus, an AIIMS official said.

More than 150 healthcare personnel have recovered and have joined back duties, AIIMS Medical Superintendent, Dr DK Sharma, said. Over 64 healthcare personnel including resident doctors, nurses, laboratory staff, technicians, sanitation staff and security guards have tested positive in the last three days.

"We are taking all precautionary and safety measures for our healthcare workers at the institute. The moment any healthcare worker tests positive, we immediately isolate him or her and initiate the process of contact tracing," Dr Sharma said. According to sources, samples of around 11 healthcare workers tested positive till Friday morning, while 30 were found infected till Thursday morning and 23 were found infected till Wednesday morning.

"Healthcare workers and ancillary staff testing positive are both from COVID and non-COVID areas of the hospital. Employees from all kinds of departments like engineering, laboratories, offices, canteens, operation theaters and wards among others have contracted the infection," Dr Sharma said. One of the AIIMS' sanitation supervisor, who had tested positive for COVID-19, died on Sunday while a mess worker at the AIIMS canteen had succumbed to the disease last week.

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