Medical Officer Of Odisha Assembly Dispensary Suspended For Violating COVID-19 Rules

Bhubaneswar: A day after the detection of the third coronavirus patient, the state government on Friday suspended medical officer of the zonal dispensary of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, Lalit Behera, for violating COVID-19 rules.

“Dr.Behera has been placed under suspension pending a disciplinary proceedings against him,” an official order from the Health and Family Welfare Department said.

He had treated the 60-year-old, who tested positive for coronavirus last night, but did not report the matter to the government though he had exhibited symptoms of the infection.

Earlier in the day, Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro told the media that the Assembly staff have been asked to undergo self-isolation since one among them had come in contact with the third coronavirus patient.

“The building will be disinfected and the assembly session with minimal MLAs will be convened at the Convention Hall of the Lok Seva Bhawan instead from March 30,” he added.

The man had visited the dispensary on March 16, Chief Spokesperson on COVID-19 Subroto Bagchi had said during a press briefing.

He had then consulted doctors at Kar Clinic and was admitted to the ICU for a day on March 24 for pneumonia. The following afternoon, he went to the Capital Hospital where his blood and swab samples were sent to the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) for test and the report confirmed that he is afflicted with coronavirus.

In an another press briefing later in the day, Bagchi had said that the patient had visited three different hospitals.