Delhi State Cancer Institute has been shut after 12 more staff members tested positive for novel Coronavirus taking the total number to 18. This also includes two doctors.

“As a precautionary measure, we have shut down various facilities of the hospital for conducting sanitisation. We are making arrangements to shift our 19 cancer patients to another private hospital. Talks are on with Dharmshila Superspeciality hospital,” Dr BL Sherwal, Medical Superintendent told ANI.

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The chain of infection started a few days ago when a doctor tested positive. The hospital said he had contracted it from a patient who was asymptomatic.

Earlier, it was reported that the doctor had contracted the infection from a relative who had returned from abroad.

Meanwhile, some of the infected staff have been admitted at the Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital.

The Delhi government had recently converted Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital into a dedicated hospital for the treatment of Coronavirus patients.

Not just the Cancer Institute, but doctors from AIIMS, Safdarjung and Mohalla Clinics have also tested positive for the infection in the last few days.

Delhi is the third worst-hit state with 523 infections and 7 fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry.

Meanwhile, in a huge health scare, two major private hospitals, one in Mumbai and another in Pune have been declared as “containment zones” after at least 130 staffers including doctors, nurses and patients were found COVID-19 positive.

The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has declared the Wockhardt Hospital near Mumbai Central a “containment zone” after at least 29 staffers including three doctors and 26 nurses were found positive for Coronavirus last week.

The infections reportedly happened after two Covid-19 patients and two suspected cases were shifted here from the Kasturba Hospital a fortnight ago.

The hospital, in a statement on Tuesday said that the source of the infection is identified as a 70-year-old patient who was admitted on March 17 for a cardiac emergency. Later, the patient tested positive for COVID-19.

Leading the war against the virus from the front is coming at a huge personal cost for doctors and health workers who often operate with inadequate protective equipment.