Vadodara reports first Covid-19 death: 52-year-old man who returned from Sri Lanka
The family is anxious about the recovery of the others, including the 29-year-old daughter-in-law of the deceased, who is expecting her second child and is in the end of her third trimester.
The family alleged the 52-year-old developed a severe lung disorder due to Covid-19 virus because his treatment was delayed by a local doctor whom he had first consulted. In this photo, residents gather outside a PDS shop in Vadodara amid a nationwide lockdown. (Express Photo by Bhupendra Rana)
Vadodara witnessed its first Covid-19 death – a 52-year-old man who was part of a group that toured Sri Lanka in March. He passed away at SSG hospital early Thursday. With four of his immediate family members – wife, daughter, son and daughter-in-law also admitted in the Covid-19 ward for treatment, it was only the VMC staff and two members of the family who performed the last rites within hours of his death.
Extended family members of the deceased said that although his health had deteriorated over the past week, his death is an irreparable loss especially because the family could not even bid a final adieu. “Last week, my uncle suffered a heart attack. We had almost lost him then. He was given CPR and revived by the SSG doctors with much effort. In a way, my aunt, who is also in the ward was mentally prepared but of course they are all inconsolable right now. He was only 52, cheerful and loving. We never expected life to take such a nasty turn,” a relative, who cannot be identified to maintain the privacy of the patient, told The Indian Express.
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The family is anxious about the recovery of the others, including the 29-year-old daughter-in-law of the deceased, who is expecting her second child and is in the end of her third trimester. While the SSG hospital has created a labour room equipped for emergency surgery if needed, the family says they are praying for the them recover and be discharged soon. “My cousins are yet to test negative for the virus. It is a worry for us. We are praying that all of them recover as soon as possible especially since they are all isolated from each other at such a difficult time,” the relative said.
According to VMC officials, the patient was cremated in the gas crematorium at Khaswadi in the city, as per protocol. VMC health officer Dr Devesh Patel told The Indian Express: “We allowed their extended family members to attend the last rites in PPE suits. Four of them completed the formalities along with out staff as per protocol. The PPE suits are also to be destroyed in the same gas chamber once the body has been consigned to flames, as per the protocol.” Dr Rajeev Daveshwar, superintendent of SSG hospital said the immediate family which is in isolation at the Covid-19 ward was allowed to wear PPE suits and bid their goodbyes from a distance before the body was taken away from the ward.
The family alleged the 52-year-old developed a severe lung disorder due to Covid-19 virus because his treatment was delayed by a local doctor whom he had first consulted. The patient’s niece said, “My uncle was feeling unwell immediately after his return to Vadodara. He visited a doctor on March 15 and asked him to recommend a Covid-19 test if he suspected anything untoward about his symptoms and also informed the doctor that he had visited Sri Lanka. The doctor assured him that he was only suffering from viral flu and prescribed medicines. Two days later as well, my uncle insisted that he was not feeling better but the doctor told him to continue with the medicines. It was only on the fourth day that my uncle was taken for a test to SSG and he was already in a delicate situation. The authorities did not even quarantine this doctor while our entire family was isolated for 14 days.”
VMC officer Dr Devesh Patel, however, denied the allegations and said the doctor based in Nizampura has been in home quarantine after the administration traced contacts of the patient following his admission to SSG hospital.
Here’s a quick Coronavirus guide from Express Explained to keep you updated: What can cause a COVID-19 patient to relapse after recovery? | COVID-19 lockdown has cleaned up the air, but this may not be good news. Here’s why | Can alternative medicine work against the coronavirus? | A five-minute test for COVID-19 has been readied, India may get it too | How India is building up defence during lockdown | Why only a fraction of those with coronavirus suffer acutely | How do healthcare workers protect themselves from getting infected? | What does it take to set up isolation wards?
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express Read More
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