A 52-year old man from Bandipora admitted with respiratory tract infection died at SMHS Hospital last night. His sample, taken on Monday, tested positive for COVID19 today.
Dr S Saleem Khan, in-charge COVID19 response at GMCSrinagar, said the patient was admitted on Monday afternoon with respiratorytract infection and fever. He said the X-ray of the patient suggested viralpneumonia and that prompted the doctors to take his sample for COVID19 testing,although there was no reported history of travel or contact with a COVID19positive person. “However, within a couple of hours of his admission, hisoxygen saturation started dropping further and in spite of our best efforts,the patient died around 9:30 pm on Monday,” he said.
The sample of the patient was found positive on Tuesdaymorning, Dr Khan said. “He was admitted with us for a few hours only,” he said.
The body of the deceased was not released by GovernmentMedical College Srinagar till the report of the sample was received. Dr Nazir AChaudhary said the body was handed over to family, as per the protocol, onTuesday afternoon.
A doctor who had seen the patient at the hospital said theman “did not look too unwell” when he was admitted but “developed respiratorydistress suddenly.”
Dr Naveed Nazir Shah, in-charge COVID19 at CD Hospital, saidthis is a typical COVID19 death. “The first COVID19 death that took place at CDHospital – of a man from Srinagar also happened like this,” he said. Heelaborated that the first patient to die of the virus in Kashmir was”absolutely fine till about one and a half day before his death”. He said, intoday’s case, the viral infection consumed the life “all too suddenly”, addingthat in many parts of the world similar pattern of deaths was being seen.
The Bandipora man’s death marks the third COVID19 death inJ&K. While the first person to die of the viral illness in Kashmir was aSrinagar man who died on March 26, the second man who died of the illness wasfrom Tangmarg who breathed his last on March 29.
Like Bandipora man, the Tangmarg man had also not reportedany travel history or contact. However, his family members were later foundpositive for the virus.
Victim laid to rest as per protocol:
The Bandipora man who died due to coronavirus was buried asper the guidelines set by the authorities at his native village in Gundjehangirvillage of Hajin in Bandipora district.
Health department sources said that only six people from thefamily were allowed to participate in the funeral after wearing protectivegear.