A clip of an overcrowded hospital premise claiming that it shows the state of mismanagement at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna and open flouting of social distancing, has taken the social media by storm.
BOOM contacted doctor Rana Singh, who had recorded the video, and confirmed that the hospital in question is not AIIMS but Mahavir Cancer Sansthan, Phulwarisharif, Patna.
The video has gone viral at a time when a rain-ravaged Bihar is grappling with the pandemic as well as nature's fury. According to reports, the state has reported over 26,379 COVID-19 cases as of July 19, 2020. Recent rains in the state have made it difficult for the doctors to reach the medical camps due to water-logged streets. Read more about it here and here.
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The same clip is viral with different narratives claiming that the video is either from Victoria Hospital Bangalore, or hospitals in Pune or Delhi.
The 34-second-long video shows a heavy rush of patients in the waiting area of a hospital. While everyone seen in the video is wearing a mask, social distancing guidelines is being openly flouted.
The person recording the video can be heard saying 'Ma'am this is the amount of rush that we are getting at room number 5, OPD ground floor. Looking at the amount of patients here, it is a complete threat to all the doctors and staffs of the hospital including the patients. So that is why I am forwarding you this video to you Ma'am. This is doctor Rana Singh here. Thank you, Ma'am. This is the entire amount of people standing right in front of room number OPD 5. More than hundred in number. Please take an immediate action as soon as possible'.
Watch the video below and check its archived version here.
The same clip has been shared on Twitter (archive) with a caption falsely claiming it to show the sorry state of hospitals in Delhi.
Another caption with the same video on Twitter (archive) claims it to depict the situation in Pune hospitals.
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The same video is also viral on social media with false claims linking it to Victoria hospital, Bangalore.
The clip is viral on Facebook with a caption reading 'Victoria Hospital is a government run hospital affiliated with Bangalore Medical College now renamed Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute. It is the largest hospital in Bangalore, India. This is the small example of situation, don't go outside. Try to avoid maximum. Be safe you and entirely family's along with our neighborhood. #NoBedsAvailaible'.
The video is also viral on Twitter with the same caption calling it Victoria Hospital, Bangalore.
Police commissioner, Bangalore city tweeted from his official handle calling the claim fake and notifying about the arrest of one such person who was involved in circulating the false video.
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Fact Check
BOOM went through the comments sections of several posts sharing the video and found a recurring reference to Mahavir Cancer Sansthan, Patna and AIIMS Patna. We tried contacting both the hospitals but there was no response till the time of publishing the article.
While searching on Facebook, we came across a post in the comments section of which Dr Rana Singh has commented that the video was recorded by him.
In the comments section of the video shared above, Dr Singh has written 'Yes it's Me . Dr. Rana Singh . (MEDICAL OFFICER in MEDICAL ONCOLOGY DEPT of Mahavir Cancer Sansthan .. I had to Make this Video & Send it to Higher Authorities to Take Immediate Action over This Uncontrollable Crowd .. It was a Complete Threat to All Doctors , Nurses & Staffs of our Hospital .. Thankyou For Sharing it .. (Dr. Rana Singh) MCS , PATNA'.
BOOM then contacted Dr Singh who confirmed to us that the video was shot by him on July 15 when a heavy rush of patients was witnessed at the Corona screening OPD at Mahavir Cancer Sansthan.
"It was a very uncontrollable situation wherein we were only around 4-5 doctors in the Corona Screening OPD and based on which I had to take this video so that I could send it to the hospital management to take an immediate action as soon as possible," Dr Singh told BOOM. Action was taken later and situation was made appropriate, he added.
Dr Singh also told BOOM that the hospital was closed earlier since few staff members and around three to four patients had tested positive for COVID-19 at the hospital. "The hospital was closed for sanitisation for four to five days. Since the hospital had opened, there was a rush and influx of heavy amount of patients there," Dr Singh said.
Noteworthy that Mahavir Cancer Sansthan is not a COVID-19 designated hospital. However, patients being admitted at the hospital are screened for Coronavirus.
"We make sure that patients being treated at the hospital are not COVID-19 positive. Therefore, the screening OPD. If we find a suspect, we send them either to Patna AIIMS or NMCH Patna or other COVID hospitals," the doctor told BOOM.
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The clip has also been shown on India TV's report published on its YouTube channel on July 18, 2020.
The Hindi headline with the video, when translated, reads 'Corona at top-speed in India. Heavy rush of patients at Mahavir hospital, Bihar'.
(Hindi: भारत में टॉप स्पीड में कोरोना, Bihar Mahavir अस्पताल में COVID-19 टेस्ट के लिए लोगों की भारी भीड़)
