KANPUR: The two minor girls of Swarupnagar Shelter Home in Kanpur, who had been found HIV and
Hepatitis-C
positive in a preliminary screening, tested negative for the two viruses in a confirmatory test at a city laboratory.
Confirming the reports, district probationary officer Ajit Kumar said: "The two had undergone tests required for HIV and
Hepatitis C and their report is negative."
Although he didn't elaborate further, sources at LLR Hospital's maternity wing said that the two girls had been found positive for HIV and Hepatitis-C in a preliminary screening through kit when they were brought from the shelter home after being found infected with
coronavirus.
"Senior hospital authorities, thereafter, sent their samples to a local microbiology lab for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) confirmation test, in which they were found negative for HIV and Hepatitis C," they said.
On Sunday,shelter home superintendent Mithilesh Pal had told reporters that two minors, out of 57 inmates who had tested positive for Covid-19, had tested posative for HIV and Hepatitis-C respectively. Five out of 57 Covid-19 positive inmates, including these two girls, were also pregnant. They are all rape survivors, who had been brought to the shelter home under the Pocso Act.
Meanwhile, the district probation officer lodged an FIR against unidentified people for allegedly circulating false information about the government shelter home where 57 inmates, including five pregnant minors, besides one staff, tested positive for Covid-19 last week.
According to the FIR, false news about the shelter home was circulated on various platforms, including social media and news channels, and the identities of the inmates were revealed. The five pregnant girls are victims of sexual crimes.
The case was registered at the Swarupnagar police station under relevant sections of the IPC, including 228-A (disclosure of identity of the victim of certain offences etc), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).
The police have also invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act, the Disaster Management Act, and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.
Investigating officer Amar Singh said that an investigation into the district Probation officer's complaint has been initiated. "We are collecting evidence to nail the person who circulated false information," he added.
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