Two rabies infected escape from Government Rajaji Hospital

MADURAI: Two rabies-infected people, including a girl, have gone missing from Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) here.
The patients identified as S Nandhini, a seven-year-old girl from Varpatti in Pudukottai district, and S Siva, absconded soon after they were hospitalized some days ago, but it came to light on Tuesday.
The girl had been admitted at 12.10 pm on December 27 at the Institute of Child Health and Research centre inside the GRH premises.
She was not put in a cell at the hospital for the terminally ill rabies patients and instead kept in an isolation room. When their request to let the child free to move around was not met, the parents took the child and gave a slip to the doctors within 30 minutes of admission.
In the second case, a 40-year-old man from Bodi in Theni district was admitted in the GRH on December 28 around 12.50 pm. The man identified as S Siva, son of Seeniraj of Puducolony absconded from ward number 105, after the doctors declined to discharge him following a request from his relatives.
When contacted Dr Santhakumar, Dean, GRH and Madurai Medical College said “We take utmost care to monitor the health of rabies infected patients. However, they managed to escape,” he said. However, hospital authorities like S Kasi Pandian. Resident medical officer, were not aware of the situation as they were on leave.
Hospital sources said both patients had tested positive for rabies virus. Usually, rabies patients in terminal stages would not live more than a couple of days.
There are rules and regulations to be followed in disposing the bodies as the infection may spread to others. In GRH they usually keep the victims in a separate cell until their death. The body would not be handed over to relatives and would be instead burnt by the corporation.
Doctors warned that rabies virus is highly infectious and potentially infects immediately persons around the infected person.
A hospital authority said police have been alerted and it is now up to the police to find them so that they could be isolated.