Cases rise, GMCH-32 halts walk-in OPD registrations

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 7

Three weeks after the outpatient departments (OPDs) at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, reopened, these have been shut again in view of the rising Covid-19 cases in the city.

Yesterday, the UT had recorded as many as 122 cases, the highest in the past three months. The number of cases has seen an upward trend since mid-February. In view of this, an emergency meeting of the authorities was held at the GMCH today.

An official spokesperson said to tackle the situation of the rapid increase in the infection incidence, the Director-Principal, Dr Jasbinder Kaur, along with the department heads, decided to suspend the walk-in OPDs and provide only teleconsultation.

“It has been unanimously decided to stop the offline registration of the OPD patients. Patients will be consulted only through telemedicine and eSanjeevani platforms. They will be seen physically, if required,” Anil Moudgil, an official spokesperson, said.

Another major hospital in the city, the PGI, has not resumed walk-in OPDs since these were shut in March last year when the first case of the infection was reported.

However, OPDs at Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, will continue to function. “A decision to stop or continue OPDs will be taken tomorrow. So, the OPDs will continue to function normally tomorrow,” the GMSH authorities said.

At 0.34 per cent, Chandigarh has the third-highest growth rate in the country preceded by Maharashtra (0.41 per cent) and Punjab (0.45 per cent). The positivity rate in the city has also increased to 4 per cent (February 27 to March 6) from 1.2 per cent (February 6 to 13).