Police registers case on leak of Bethany hospital patient list

The Meghalaya police on Saturday said it has registered a case on the leak of the list of patients who were admitted at Bethany Hospital here since March 22. Dr. John L Sailo, the first person to test positive for COVID-19 in the state on April 13 was the owner of Bethany Hospital. After Sailo tested positive the hospital was turned into a quarantine centre and all the patients and staff were told to stay in the medical facility.

On April 16 a file containing 114 pages of the list of patients who were admitted at Bethany Hospital was leaked and went viral in social media, the police said. "On receiving the information, police team forthwith verified the information and a case has been registered to vide cybercrime wing PS...," Asst Inspector General of Police Gabriel Iangrai said.

He warned that legal action would be taken if anyone reposts or share the messages in social media. At present, all the patients of Bethany Hospital since March 22 have been tracked even as 10 persons including eight family members of Dr. Sailo and two housemaids have tested positive for COVID-19.

Eight persons, including Dr. Sailo's wife, have contracted the virus and they are stable, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said. He said the two housemaids are admitted at the COVID- 19 hospitals here while the family members of Dr. Sailo are under home observation.