COVID-19: 12 suspects from two families huddled in one ambulance

SRINAGAR — District Administration Shopian Tuesday allegedly huddled 12 members of two families into an ambulance from Shopian to GMC Anantnag to collect their samples, but at GMC, doctors refused to test them saying the COVID-19 suspects from Shopian district can only be tested at District Hospital Pulwama.

Two members from these two families who had arrived in Valley in the same flight in which the first COVID-19 woman patient was flying had come into contact with a number of people in Shopian.

“We were huddled in an ambulance and brought here at GMC Anantnag. Here, doctors are telling us that we can be tested for COVID-19 only at District Hospital Pulwama. What if anyone among us is infected with Coronavirus, he or she will infect others as well. Among the 12 members, 3 are ladies and 4 are children,” said one of the COVID-19 suspects.

A couple of persons have already been declared COVID-19 positive in Shopian district while authorities there have already declared some villages as red-zones.

Medical Superintendent GMC said he is busy in a video conference while another medico, wishing not to be named, said that it is the negligence of Shopian Hospital that brought these COVID-19 patients here, despite knowing the fact that any suspect from Shopian can be treated or tested at District Hospital Pulwama only.