Ghaziabad: Man with Covid kills self in home isolation

GHAZIABAD: Two days after testing positive for Covid-19, a 45-year-old man from Loni was found hanging from a ceiling fan in a room where he was isolated.
The man worked as a sweeper with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi in Brahampuri, officials said on Wednesday.
Ghaziabad health department did not have any information about the patient and found out only after his death. Subsequently, his body was cremated per the protocol.
Meanwhile, 10 of his family members have been quarantined at a government facility. According to them, the man’s Covid test was done using a rapid antigen kit on Monday at a dispensary in Brahampuri. However, no report document was given to him.
“He was worried. On doctor’s advice, he had isolated himself in a room in one of the rooms in his house. We had last spoken to him around 4am on Tuesday when we had gone to provide water. But two hours later, when we went to check on his health and provide tea, we found him hanging. He did not leave any suicide note,” said a family member.
They added that he did not show any symptoms like fever, cold or cough.
Afterwards, the matter was reported to the police and the local administration. The health department arranged an ambulance to take the body to a cremation ground.
SDM (Loni) Khalid Anjum said, “The area will be sealed for disinfection and the family members will be shifted to a quarantine centre on the health department’s instruction.”
Dr Saket Nath Tiwari, consultant psychiatrist from the National Mental Health Programme, said, “As for the past six months, coronavirus outbreak has been the centre of every discussion and activity, many people have developed an acute fear of the disease and think that this disease is the end of the world. This could be a reason for taking this extreme step.”
Tiwari said people can seek advice and consultation on the mental health helpline number – 0120 4155313 – between 8am and 2pm.