Kolkata, Apr 13 (IANS): Authorities have shut down a 300-bed super speciality private hospital here temporarily after patients tested positive COVID-19 positive, officials said on Monday.

The Charnock Hosptial at Teghoria in north East Kolkata was shut down after six patients who underwent dialysis tested positive for the infection.

According to hospital authorities, a patient was brought for dialysis a few days back from a nursing home.

The patient went back to the nursing home after dialysis, but developed coronavirus symptoms.

The patient's samples were sent for testing, but the victim died before the results were available.

The report found the deceased tested positive for the viral disease. This threw the hospital authorities into a tizzy, and they decided to test the swab samples of all patients who underwent dialysis on the day as the deceased.

The reports detected the infection in five of these patients, one of whom is a staffer of the hospital. All five have been shifted to another health facility.

After consulting health authorities, the hospital management decided to shut down the hospital for seven to 10 days for fumigation.

All 18 patients admitted in the hospital have been shifted to other health facilities.

More than 50 hospital health workers, suspected to have come in contact with the COVID-19 positive patients, have been put under quarantine. They would be tested for the infection.

In another setback, a patient and a health worker tested positive for the infection at the 185-year-old Kolkata Medical College and Hospital.

Authorities were alarmed after the patient, who is pregant, tested positive for the deadly disease.

A health worker, involved in the treatment of the patient, has also tested positive for the viral infection.

Around 50, doctors, nurses and other health workers who had come in contact with patient have been kept under close observation.

All admissions to the gynaecology ward have been halted, the authorities said.