Poonch, May 19 (KNO): Authorities on Tuesday suspended a doctor and four other officials from health department for ‘creating’ confusion over identifying the positive Coronavirus patients in Poonch district.
In an order by District Magistrate Poonch, issued after taking note of alleged loophole, a doctor among five officials from the health department have been placed under suspension.
They include Medical Officer Dr. Amir, Laboratory Assistant Mushtaq Hussain, Junior Assistant Hayat Khan, Laboratory Technician Yasir Ahmed and Laboratory Technician Naseem Aftab.
All the suspended officials shall remain attached in the office of Block Medical Officer (BMO) Surankote, the order, a copy of which lies with news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) reads.
Pertinently, uncertainty prevailed over the identity of two Coronavirus patients in Poonch district, officials said, adding that four persons have been isolated by the authorities while two among them have been tested positive.
Official sources said that on Monday evening, the authorities in Poonch came to know from COVID dedicated laboratory in Jammu that samples of two persons from the district have been tested positive.
"Taking note, two person with names mentioned in positive reports were identified who included a Nursing Orderly of Sub District Hospital Surankote and a Punjab returnee laborer and both were referred to Rajouri GMC hospital,” sources said.
However, the duo who were declared positive received message from the authorities that they have been tested negative.
Official sources added that in late evening hours, both the persons were called back from mid way and during further examination of record, it came to the fore that two more persons are from Poonch's Surankote with similar names whose samples were collected on the same date.
“As confusion was deep rotted and even prevailed after authorities examined their sample forms, there was no other option left than to isolate all the four persons,” they said.
District Magistrate Poonch, Rahul Yadav told KNO that all the four persons with two each having similar names were isolated. “We have taken their samples and are waiting for fresh reports now,” Yadav said.
Meanwhile, strict restrictions were put in place in areas of Surankote including main town and parts of Mendhar –(KNO)