Pregnant woman who gave false address to give birth at hospital tests positive for COVID-19

A pregnant woman who gave birth to her child at the Kalutara Nagoda Hospital yesterday has tested positive for COVID-19, Beruwala Medical Officer Dr Waruna Seneviratne confirmed. 

The 28-year-old woman, who gave birth at an isolation ward at the hospital, had concealed the fact that she is originally from the Pannila village in Beruwala, which has been completely locked down by authorities following the detection of COVID-19 patients there. The area is currently designated a danger zone. 

The woman had admitted herself to the hospital giving an address in Dharga Town. However, upon examining her clinic card issued by the family health worker, it had been found that she is actually a resident of Pannila, Beruwala and had temporarily moved to a house in Dharga Town just before Pannila village was locked down. Hospital officials took steps to move her to an isolation ward set up at the hospital to accommodate suspected COVID-19 patients. 

She had been tested for COVID-19 and as her test came back positive, hospital staff who were exposed to her were directed to self-quarantine, Dr Seneviratne stated. Authorities are still awaiting results of the test carried out on the infant to determine if the child too has been infected by COVID-19. 

The latest postive case means that 13 COVID-19 patients have now been identified within the Beruwala Medical Officer's Division, Dr Seneviratne further said. 

By Thusitha Kumara De Silva