By Keshab Raj Poudel, Kathmandu, Aug. 30: The public health officials have been in awe in Kavrepalanchowk after a whopping 104 cases of COVID-19 infection were detected in the Sipnal Injury Rehabilitation Center (Hospital) in Banepa Municipality-13.

The officials of the hospital, Banepa Municipality and a team of Kavre Health Office have initiated an in-depth investigation to ascertain the root cause of the outbreak of COVID-19 in the hospitals and the areas nearby.

The cases of virus infection were also seen in the police office and the locals nearby.

After a worker of the hospital was found with the virus infection, the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test of all the patients, their families, medical staffs and other officials of the hospital were conducted. 

The entire hospital has been developed as the isolation center and all the hospital staffs have been deployed for the counselling and treatment of the COVID-19 patients.  

In the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test done at the Dhulikhel State Laboratory on Saturday, some 36 persons were found to be infected with the virus, taking the COVID-19 caseload of the hospital itself to 104.

According to Dr. Narendra Kumar Jha, Chief of the District Health Office, Kavre, the virus infection was seen in doctors, hospital workers, patients and the families of the patients.

Hari Adhikari, head of the hospital administration, said that all the patients admitted to the hospital wer being tested for COVID-19. “We are trying to find out the major reason behind this huge fallout and its effect,” he added.

Meanwhile, the doctors involved in the treatment of the virus infected patients said that the surging cases of COVID-19 in the hospital had inflicted fear upon them.

“Mostly the patients from Dhulikhel Hospital, Scheer Memorial Hospital, Teaching Hospital and National Trauma Center come here for treatment. We cannot lock the entire hospital. Thus, investigation must be done to know whether the virus has entered the community or not,” said Dr. Raju Dhakal of the Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Center.

Stating that the rumours of the spread of virus in the community from the hospital had made it difficult for doctors to work, Dr. Dhakal appealed to everyone to not spread false information regarding the virus spread.

He added that all the COVID-19 infected of the hospital were asymptomatic.