Coronavirus: Migrants from Bihar at a shelter in Delhi amid the COVID-19 lockdown (AFP)
Of the 295 patients admitted to Patna's Nalanda Medical College and Hospital with symptoms of COVID-19, at least 25 have tested positive. Doctors say they had mild symptoms and many of them have now been discharged and quarantined at home.
Dr PK Sinha, Superintendent of NMCH - one of the dedicated hospitals for treatment of coronavirus - said mild symptoms made their treatment easier.
Across Bihar, where 4,900 people were tested, 39 have proved positive. NMCH is the only dedicated COVID-19 hospital.
Most patients who came to the hospital had history of overseas travel, and there was considerable time lapse, which also helped to find out the entire case history, the doctors said.
"But what really worked is that almost all the patients responded to the diagnosis protocol laid down by the Indian Council of Medical Research (the nodal body of doctors)," said Dr Ajay Kumar.
The beginning, though, had not been easy, the doctors said. "It was scary when COVID-19 patients started coming in at our hospital. But there was no other option and we took the plunge despite reservations from friends and family," said Dr Satish, who works as associate professor in the medicine department.
"Initially, there was no protective equipment and masks, but slowly, the supply of these items started coming in," said Dr Satish.
Dr Ajay Kumar Sinha, who works in the COVID-19 ward, said after the after initial scare, when the patients realised that chances of recovery was high, they started cooperating.
"Otherwise, the patients were so scared, they were making videos of life inside the ward and sending them to their contacts," Dr Sinha said.
The problem of resources, he said, has improved over the last few days after the intervention of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who raised the issue before Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Last week, the Chief Minister had laid out Bihar's wish list before the Prime Minister, pointing out that none of it had been delivered.
"We demanded five lakh PPE (personal protective equipment) kits, but got 4,000. Against our demand of 10 lakh N-95 masks, we got just 10,000. We asked for 10 lakh Pl mask, but got just one lakh. Against a demand for 10,000 RNA extraction kits, Bihar got 250," the state government had quoted him as saying in a communique later. He also said his state had asked for 100 ventilators, but didn't get a single one.
At the hospital, Dr Satish highlighted a positive aspect of the state. "None of the doctors faced any problem at home," he said, citing the harassment and stigma many doctors faced from neighbours and landlords terrified of catching the infection.
"Some paramedics were told by landlords to stop coming. But the matter was resolved following intervention by the administration," he added.