Kathmandu, May 23

After a woman aged 54, who was admitted to Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Centre, Maharajgunj, tested positive for novel coronavirus, the hospital halted its cardiology and Cath lab services until further notice.

The centre is, however, running emergency and surgery services.

The woman was shifted to intensive care unit at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital after testing positive for COVID-19.

The ear, nose and throat (ENT) ward of the hospital has been converted into a COVID-19 special unit.

The woman was referred from Hetauda Hospital to the cardiac centre as she was suffering from heart ailment.

“Her health condition is stable.

Her heart beat has become normal now,” said TUTH’s COVID-19 Management Committee Coordinator Santa Kumar Das.

At least 40 persons, including doctors, nurses and ward attendants, among others, who came in contact with the woman during her stay in the hospital in the last five days have been quarantined.

“The health workers, along with their children and the elderly family members at home have decided to stay at the hospital. But we don’t have sufficient rooms in the centre to house them. We are looking for some hotels for our staffers to stay in quarantine,” said Prof Dr Arun Sayami, head of cardiology department at Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Centre.

“The swab samples of all those who have been in contact with the woman will be collected on the seventh day after their stay in quarantine for the PCR test,” said Dr Sayami.

According to Dr Sayami, the woman had tested negative twice in the rapid diagnostic test.

As she had fever, our health team had decided to conduct test with the polymerase chain reaction method. She tested positive yesterday.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on May 24, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.