Did Kovai youth who suffered breathing difficulty die of Covid?

COIMBATORE: In a suspected case of Covid-19 death, a 28-year-old youth, who was suffering from Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) died on Sunday night. He was a resident of Chinniyampalayam. He died on the way to ESI Hospital from Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH).  

Even though top officials of the Health Department ruled out Covid-19, Health Department sources claimed that death was reportedly due to coronavirus. CMCH officials claimed that the RT-PCR test rendered an inconclusive result, prompting the doctors to refer him to the ESI Hospital. However, he was dead on arrival there. The test result of swab collected from him before his death is yet to be revealed. However, sources claimed that the swab initially collected from him yielded a positive result. “The swabs were again collected for a re-test before shifting him,” sources added.

CMCH Dean P Kalidas said that the youth had earlier gone to a private hospital for treating fever and cold. He was admitted to CMCH on Saturday evening. He explained, “We collected swabs from him and admitted him to the SARI ward. There, he developed dyspnea (shortness of breath). He did not have any other co-morbidity condition.” Taking an account of his health condition, he was shifted to ESI Hospital after collecting his swabs for a re-test, added Kalidas.  

ESI Hospital Dean A Nirmala said the deceased, who was referred to as a suspected Covid-19 case, was brought dead to the hospital. Kalidas said, “All SARI deaths are treated as suspected Covid-19 case.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Health Services G Ramesh Kumar claimed it is a case of SARI death. He said that the youth, who worked at a transport agency here, had recently visited Erode. Ramesh said, “The swabs of the residents in the colony, where he resided, would be collected for test. Similarly, the contact tracing of the truck drivers, who visited the transport agency in the recent past has begun.”

‘Swabs to be collected’
Deputy Director of Health Services G Ramesh Kumar claimed it is a case of SARI death. He said that the youth had recently visited Erode. Ramesh said, “The swabs of the residents in the colony, where he resided, would be collected for test.”