Assam News

Man tests negative, but declared as COVID positive in Bongaigaon

A case of alleged gross negligence took place in Bongaigaon on Thursday during COVID testing resulting in panic among people.

Sentinel Digital Desk

OUR CORRESPONDENT

BONGAIGAON: A case of alleged gross negligence took place in Bongaigaon on Thursday during COVID testing resulting in panic among people. This took place in Bongaigaon Railway Engineering Workshops (EWS) where a COVID negative person was declared positive due to negligence on the part of the on-duty health team.

Aman Mittal (29), Senior Section Engineer of the workshop, who is originally from Delhi but presently residing in Natunpara area of Bongaigaon, had to go through this ordeal. Sambhu Prasad Das, Office Superintendent of EWS, said that a State health team under Bongaigaon district administration conducted COVID test for all staff of the workshop on Thursday. "The team sent the result to all by message and Aman Mittal received message from the team that he was COVID positive. Then we immediately forwarded him to New Bongaigaon Railway Hospital for further treatment. But later, when we asked the State Medical team that how many people in the workshop were found COVID positive, they replied nil. We were shocked by their answer and then we found out that the wrong message was sent to Aman. He had in fact tested negative. We immediately communicated to Aman and also to New Bongaigaon Railway Hospital authority. The New Bongaigaon Railway hospital authority again tested him and when it was confirmed that he was COVID negative, they released him," Das said.

"I am disturbed by what I had to go through due to the wrong message. This is serious negligence by the State health team. After returning to EWS when I asked the medical team why such negligence occurred, they treated it rather casually," said Aman Mittal. Later, an administrative officer from the district administration also arrived at the spot. But he also allegedly treated the matter casually.