New Delhi: A 35-year-old businessman and his mother refused to be hospitalised in the Capital for treatment of swine flu.
The businessman arrived in Delhi from New York on June 2 and headed straight to his farmhouse at Rajokari. After displaying flu-like symptoms, he tested positive to the virus on June 7.
Instead of being quarantined at one of the Government-recognised hospitals, the businessman was allowed to stay at his residence. He is believed to have passed on the virus to his mother who was nursing him in this period.
After concerns were raised about his being quarantined at home, on June 10, Delhi Health officials went to his house and the mother and son were moved to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.
Once at the hospital, the two are believed to have changed their minds and refused to be admitted and left in a hurry. On Thursday, there was utter confusion about their whereabouts.
While the RML Medical Superintendent said the two were not at the hospital, the Delhi Health Minister seemed oblivious to the incident.
“I am 1000 per cent sure they are at RML. It is true they weren't willing to come but we sent an ambulance for them with our health officials,” Delhi Health Minister Kiran Walia said on Thursday.
But it was at 1900 hours IST on Thursday that the Delhi government woke up to the reality. They then invoked a clause in the Epidemic Act that makes it mandatory for all patients to be quarantined in a hospital.
The police then went to the farmhouse along with Health officials and forcibly moved them to the APHO hospital near Indira Gandhi International Airport.
“We are answerable and accountable for Delhi’s health. Therefore, it was mandatory that they had to be admitted in hospital. Anybody who shirks this will definitely brought by the police,” Walia said.
In the meanwhile, both the mother and son, having completed their treatment, and have now tested negative for the virus.
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