Couple dies of Covid-19 within an hour of each other

Nagpur: A couple from Reshimbagh died of Covid-19 on Tuesday. The woman (60) died at home followed by man (66) at a private hospital within an hour of the death of former. Meanwhile, eight persons including a 75-year-old woman on dialysis who had tested positive for Covid-19 had to wait outside Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) for admission for six hours.
The district registered six Covid-19 positive deaths including the couple on Tuesday increasing the tally to 61. It is highest so far in the district in a single day since March 11.
As per information available from doctors of Nagpur Municipal Corporation, man from Pushpanjali Apartment at Reshimbagh was admitted in a critical condition at private hospital situated at Jagnade square on Monday morning. He tested positive in the evening following which his wife and son also got tested from private lab.
The woman was at home and also reportedly ill. Corporator Dr Ravindra Bhoyar came to know and asked NMC to send ambulance to shift her to GMCH. She died at around 11.30pm on Monday before ambulance could reach her home. An hour later, the man died at the private hospital. The reports of the woman came positive on Tuesday morning.
This was the first couple in Vidarbha to die of Covid-19. Earlier, a father and son from Manish Nagar had died.
NMC conducted funeral of the couple at Gangabai ghat. The son also tested positive following which the NMC for the first time conducted rapid antigen tests of people residing in 80 flats in the apartment. Three more persons from the building tested positive.
A 40-year-old man from Trimurti Nagar was brought dead to GMCH on Monday and samples tested positive on Tuesday. A man from Nandanwan was admitted in critical condition at GMCH on Monday, died on Tuesday and his samples tested positive.
A 45-year-old man from Kanhan was also brought dead to IGGMCH on Monday and his samples tested positive. A 51-year-old man from Kamptee was admitted at IGGMCH on July 17 as positive patient and and he died on Tuesday.
Municipal commissioner Tukaram Mundhe had time and again requested the people to get tests done and report to NMC or nearest hospital in case of any symptoms to prevent deaths.
As far as GMCH’s issue is concerned, NMC had sent 8 positive patients in ambulance for admission in isolation ward at around 3pm. One of the patients was 75-year-old woman from Khamla who is on dialysis and a family with two-year-old child. The woman had tested positive at a private laboratory in morning and was taken to GMCH by her son.
GMCH refused admission calling for reference from NMC. The two returned home and NMC sent an ambulance to pick her up at around 2pm. Still, she had to wait till 9pm in ambulance for admission. The son who also gave samples for testing had to be with his positive mother for six hours.
GMCH dean Dr Sajal Mitra said, “Such a thing never happened at GMCH. We have admitted positive patients with symptoms even efore they were referred by NMC. There seems to be some miscommunication between the staff of NMC and GMCH.”
Sources in GMCH and IGGMCH told TOI they are facing serious inconvenience due to admission of large number of asymptomatic positive patients and NMC should increase the capacity of Covid Care Centre (CCC). The only CCC at MLA Hostel is now full. “Two hospitals are also facing shortage of staff due to duty on rotation basis and rise in non-Covid patients.”
As per data available from office of Civil Surgeon, 249 positive patients were under treatment at GMCH on Tuesday followed by 229 at IGGMCH, 50 at AIIMS, 28 in private hospital, 327 in MLA CCC, 124 in Central Jail CCC and 103 were in process of admission.
GMCH and IGGMCH are having capacity of 1,173 beds in isolation wards.
Meanwhile, one of the fire station officers of NMC tested positive sending ripples among the staff members. Testing of all staff was assured on Tuesday but could not be done as entire team was busy at Reshimbagh.