Three doctors of Bokaro General Hospital (BGH), the only dedicated Covid hospital of the district, are feared to have contracted the virus, prompting hospital authorities to shut down its OT complex for 48 hours for sanitisation.

Swab samples of the three, two of them surgeons and one an orthopaedic, tested positive in a Truenat test on Friday, said Bokaro deputy commissioner Rajesh Kumar Singh. But as is the norm, their samples will have to undergo a confirmatory RT-PCR test.

“There is a strong possibility that the three BGH doctors are Covid positive, and we are sending their samples again for Covid-19 test through RT-PCR for confirmation to Dhanbad’s Patliputra Medical College and Hospital. We will only declare them positive once that report comes in,” Singh said, adding that the three doctors have been told to isolate themselves at home.

As many as 16 people, including six doctors, nurses and health workers, have been identified as having come in contact with the three doctors. They will all be tested.

BGH officials have decided to conduct emergency surgeries at a standby OT at the Dhanvantari Block on the premises.

The largest hospital of the region, BGH sees a massive footfall of patients daily. But with three of their doctors likely to have contracted the virus, there is a serious concern among healthcare workers associated with the hospital. The management is now working on ways to restrict entry of visitors in wards and controlling the number of OPD patients.

On Saturday, the district recorded 18 new Covid-19 cases, taking the number of active cases to 62. Most of those who tested positive on Saturday are residents of containment zones in Chas. Others include two policemen and an ONGC worker.

Civil surgeon Dr A. K. Pathak said all asymptomatic patients were being shifted to the newly set up Covid Care Centre near Sadar Hospital.