Odisha family loses two members in a week, four more infected

JAGATSINGHPUR: In a period of seven days, a family of Jagatsinghpur saw its world turning upside down with two of its members succumbing to the deadly coronavirus and four more testing positive.
The infected family members - two women and two minors - are now in home isolation, uncertain of what the future holds for them.

The 79-year-old Chaturbhuja Barik died of Covid-19 on Tuesday, exactly a week after his 40-year-old infected son Deepak passed away. Chaturbhuja’s wife, his daughter-in-law, eight-year-old granddaughter and six-year-year grandson are positive and under treatment in their home.

Deepak, a local businessman, had come in contact with a shopkeeper for storing grains and cattle feed in the latter’s house in mid-April. While the shopkeeper was found Covid positive, Deepak too developed fever, chest pain and tested positive on April 23. Although he was in home isolation, his condition deteriorated and he had to be shifted to the isolation ward of district headquarters hospital where he succumbed on April 27.  

Hearing about his son’s death, Deepak’s father who was also positive, complained of breathing issues and was shifted to the Covid hospital of SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCB MCH) on April 28. He too passed away on Tuesday and the body was cremated in Cuttack by the local Municipal Corporation.

Sarpanch of Tiruna panchayat Nirupama Das said all the necessary treatment is being provided to the remaining four members in the family who are infected.  “There are 20 other villagers here who have been found Covid positive. I have urged the Naugaon BDO to declare the village as a containment zone”, she said.