At least 13 inmates of the juvenile home in Noida tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday and they have been sent to Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Greater Noida for treatment. There are total 162 children at the observation home and Covid antigen and PCR tests were conducted on all the inmates and 17 staffers of the observation home throughout Thursday.
The results of the antigen test came on Thursday itself, and 13 of the inmates were found positive.
Of them, seven were new inmates, who had been serving the mandatory isolation of 14 days in two separate rooms inside the premises.
While there are three rooms which have been reserved for the new inmates to serve quarantine, the remaining reside in five different halls. However, there are multiple common areas used by all the inmates.
And officials suspect that the six other old inmates could have contracted Covid since they were using the same washrooms, water coolers in the common area.
“The health department officials were of the view that the old inmates got infected possibly because they used the same washrooms, water coolers and touched walls and windows of the premises. Anyway, we are offering warm water, tea to the inmates twice to the inmates, who are also being made to do gargles. The water coolers have been removed,” said Dharmendra Maurya, caretaker of Noida observation home.