Second Covid-19 death in Himachal, elderly woman passes away in Chandigarh hospital

The woman had travelled to Himachal Pradesh from Delhi on March 15 along with her husband and three other families, Solan DC KC Chaman said.

Second COVID-19 death in Himachal is 70-year-old woman

A 70-year-old woman suffering from COVID-19 passed away while under hospitalisation at PGIMER, Chandigarh, on Thursday night. (AP/File)

A 70-year-old woman suffering from COVID-19 passed away while under hospitalisation at PGIMER, Chandigarh, on Thursday night, state government officials said. This is the second coronavirus-related death in the state.

The woman, who was staying in an industrial area in Barotiwala near Baddi in Solan district, had travelled to Himachal Pradesh from Delhi on March 15 along with her husband and three other families, Solan DC KC Chaman said.

“Her husband is the director of a helmet manufacturing unit located in Jharmajri, Barotiwala in Nalagarh subdivision of the district. The couple and the three families arrived in the factory on March 15 and stayed at the guesthouse located within the premises. According to them, none of them ventured out of the factory’s premises during all these days. They also said that they have no history of foreign travel,” said Chaman.

Mr. Chaman said that on March 31, the victim’s husband took her to a private hospital in Barotiwala due to a 5 to 7 day-old fever. They were both given medicines and advised quarantine by the doctors. On Thursday, the woman went to another private hospital in Baddi which referred her to PGI following an X-Ray examination, the DC said. The woman died on Thursday night while admitted in PGI.

“We have quarantined and isolated all those who came in contact with the couple and the other families, including the staff of the two private hospitals,” he added.

Additional chief secretary (health) RD Dhiman said that a total of 22 persons have been isolated and seven others quarantined.

Under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the DC ordered that the “entire Jharmajri industrial area and Jharmajri Chowk to Hill View Society as well as towards Hilltop, would be completely sealed and no ingress/egress of any person or vehicle, except officials/vehicles on government duty, shall be allowed to this area… There shall be no relaxation in curfew imposed qua any shops or banks within the entire area till further order”.

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On March 23, a 69-year-old resident of Mcleodganj in Dharamshala had passed away due to COVID-19 after having travelled to the United States recently.

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