Srinagar: Two patients from Anantnag and Kulgam districts of south Kashmir, who were tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, were earlier discharged from quarantine centre after staying merely for six days.
Both the patients along with seven others had met the first deceased patient of Kashmir, a Tableegi Jamaat member from Hyderpora in Jammu, reported a local news wire, KNO.
Among them, one patient, who had met the first deceased in Jammu on 14 March and was kept under quarantine along with two positive patients from Wangund Dooru Anantnag and Sopat Kulgam said that they were kept under quarantine in Kokernag after the death of Tableegi Jamaat member.
“We asked authorities to take our samples but they refused to take samples by claiming that they take samples of only those persons who are symptomatic,” he said. “Besides, we were even asked to return home after six days.”
“We were kept under quarantine on 26 March and returned home on 1 April and since then we all were at home and have met dozens of people,” he said.
“A day before, we received a call to reach GMC [Government Medical College] Anantnag for tests and accordingly samples were taken today,” he said. “Two out of nine were tested positive while as seven others have been hospitalized.”
Family members have also called it a medical negligence; according to them, the patient should have been tested during quarantine period and shouln’t have been allowed to return home without following the protocol.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Anantnag, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad Shah said that patients were totally fit at the quarantine center in Kokernag and there was no need of taking their samples.
“They might have got infected through second contacts,” he said, adding that in case they would have got infected due to first deceased case then they would have developed symptoms much before. (KNO)
