CHENNAI: A 36-year-old Sholinganallur resident on Tuesday leaped to his death off the fifth floor of a private hospital at Kelambakkam where he was being treated for Covid-19.
Police suspect that the patient, who ran a small-scale business, may have ended his life after learning that his wife, their two )children and his parents had also tested positive for the infection. All the five members are now under home quarantine, a senior officer said.
The man was tested on last Saturday after he developed symptoms. The results on Monday showed he had the infection and he was immediately admitted to the hospital. At the hospital, he appeared aloof and didn't even speak to the hospital staff, the officer said.
On Tuesday, security personnel heard a thud near the quarantine block and rushed to the spot to find the man bleeding profusely. He was rushed to the emergency care centre where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
The body was later sent to the mortuary and a team from the Kelambakkam police station arrived to make inquiries. A case was registered under CrPC Section 174 (unnatural death) before the body was buried according the prescribed guidelines for such patients.
A team of revenue officials had admitted him to the hospital in Kelambakkam, the officer said, adding that investigators suspect the man might have contracted the infection while working at his unit which he kept open even during the intense lockdown.
In the current extraordinary situation, counsellors say, many coronavirus patients seem to become depressed as soon as their infection is confirmed by the authorities concerned.
Preethi Manohar, counsellor and general manager at Sooryah Hospital, said most such people often wanted to know if anything could be done to prevent the infection from spreading among their immediate family members. "As soon as they get infected, many seem to lose hope.
"They say they are feeling lonely and are longing to meet their family members. Very few of them see it as just another disease that they can fight," she said.
The counsellor said she had asked her friends and acquaintances to reach her immediately in case they faced any such situation. "They have posted this message among members of some of their groups and received a couple of calls from them," she added.
Assistance for anyone developing suicidal thoughts or remaining in distress is available on the state's health helpline 104 and Sneha's suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.
Police suspect that the patient, who ran a small-scale business, may have ended his life after learning that his wife, their two )children and his parents had also tested positive for the infection. All the five members are now under home quarantine, a senior officer said.
The man was tested on last Saturday after he developed symptoms. The results on Monday showed he had the infection and he was immediately admitted to the hospital. At the hospital, he appeared aloof and didn't even speak to the hospital staff, the officer said.
On Tuesday, security personnel heard a thud near the quarantine block and rushed to the spot to find the man bleeding profusely. He was rushed to the emergency care centre where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
The body was later sent to the mortuary and a team from the Kelambakkam police station arrived to make inquiries. A case was registered under CrPC Section 174 (unnatural death) before the body was buried according the prescribed guidelines for such patients.
A team of revenue officials had admitted him to the hospital in Kelambakkam, the officer said, adding that investigators suspect the man might have contracted the infection while working at his unit which he kept open even during the intense lockdown.
In the current extraordinary situation, counsellors say, many coronavirus patients seem to become depressed as soon as their infection is confirmed by the authorities concerned.
Preethi Manohar, counsellor and general manager at Sooryah Hospital, said most such people often wanted to know if anything could be done to prevent the infection from spreading among their immediate family members. "As soon as they get infected, many seem to lose hope.
"They say they are feeling lonely and are longing to meet their family members. Very few of them see it as just another disease that they can fight," she said.
The counsellor said she had asked her friends and acquaintances to reach her immediately in case they faced any such situation. "They have posted this message among members of some of their groups and received a couple of calls from them," she added.
Assistance for anyone developing suicidal thoughts or remaining in distress is available on the state's health helpline 104 and Sneha's suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.
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