Kolkata: At least 79 personnel, including doctors, nurses and health workers of Nil Ratan Sarkar Medical College and Hospital were sent on quarantine and a ward closed down on Monday after the test results of a youth received after his death detected him coronavirus positive. The youth, who was admitted in the male medicine ward with haemophilia, was initially kept in the general ward. But as his condition began deteriorating, he was transferred to the critical care unit, where he died on Saturday.

With the youth developing corona virus-like symptoms before his death, he was tested for the infection. The test results received on Monday, found him positive.

This sent alarm bells ringing, and the 79 personnel including 39 doctors were sent on quarantine for 14 days.

The entire ward will remain shut for at least 48 hours during which it will be sprayed with germicides.

"Those sent on quarantine will be housed in the government quarantine centre at Rajarha, some hotels or live in home isolation. They will resume their duties after 14 days," said NRS Medical College Hospital superintendent Dwaipayan Biswas.

A section of doctors said had the report come early, the problem would not have risen in the first place as the doctors and other personnel could have taken precaution.