Lucknow, Sep 24 (IANS): The Lucknow administration has served notices to four private hospitals for laxity in treating Covid patients after reports of 48 patients who were referred to these hospitals died.

Chandan hospital, Mayo hospital, Charak hospital and Apollo hospital have been found guilty of delay in starting treatment in holding/isolation area, conducting Covid tests and shifting patients to Covid wards.

The notices have been issued under the Epidemic Diseases Act and they have been asked to respond within 24 hours.

"In some hospitals, cases have been detected where, prima facie, the protocols (for treating patients) were not followed. And, when they went to Covid hospital after being referred to, they died," Lucknow District Magistrate Abhishek Prakash said.

"The protocol for the non-Covid hospital is that if any patient in serious condition arrives there, then he/she should be put in the holding/trial area and the treatment should begin without delay," the official said.

At that point of time, a Covid test is done and if the result is negative, then full-fledged treatment of the patient begins. Else, the person is shifted to a Covid hospital, the official said.

Farooq Ansari, director of Chandan hospital, said that they had handed over all details of patients who died in the hospital during the past one and a half months.

Madhulika Singh, head of Mayo hospital, said, "In cases where patients' Covid reports differed, decisions were taken on medical grounds and there was no negligence. Some patients tested negative and then became positive."

Ajaya Kumar of Apollo, denied that 17 patients had died in the hospital as reported in a section of the media. "No Covid patients was admitted here before September 22," he added.