69 PREGNANT WOMEN AT PUNE, ALARMED AFTER RADIOLOGIST TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

The novel coronavirus has not been extensively studied, since its inception towards the end of 2019. The uncertainty that this new virus portrays, is lingering as a major concern in the minds of pregnant women. Although there is no concrete evidence that states pregnant women to be more susceptible to the disease, they have an equal chance of passing the virus over to their newborns, if adequate measures are not taken for diagnoses and treatment.

This is a major concern in Pune since 69 mothers are in quarantine as the radiologist who attended to them for sonographies tested positive for the virus earlier this week. These pregnant women from the Shirur tehsil of Maharashtra’s Pune district, came in contact with the radiologist during April 6, 7, and 8, 2020. All these women were identified by a team from the Zilla Parishad and health department.

"The radiologist had some symptoms of coronavirus so he voluntarily approached the health officials, following which his swab samples were sent for testing and he tested positive a couple of days ago," a health official said to the New Indian Express. An officer from the Zilla Parishad told Pune Mirror, “The radiologist claimed that he has taken all needed care like wearing protective gears while conducting sonography. However, we do not want to leave anything to chance and have started taking measures.”

"All 69 women are placed under home quarantine, as it is not advisable to send them for institutional quarantine," a health official said and added that a team of 31 doctors and Asha workers was formed in order to collect swab samples of these women.

31 villages in this district have been declared as containment zones and a swab collection centre has also been stationed in the district’s hospital.