Uttar Pradesh recorded its first two fatalities due to COVID-19 on Wednesday. They were a 25-year-old man from Basti, whose relatives allegedly hid his travel history to Mumbai, and a 72-year-old man from Meerut.
The patient from Basti died at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur. Subsequently, it was reported that he was infected with the virus, BRDMC principal Ganesh Kumar told The Hindu .
District Magistrate of Gorakhpur, K. Vijyendra Pandian, said the patient had been treated for renal failure for the last three months and died early on Monday, following which his sample tested positive for COVID-19. A second test at the King George’s Medical University in Lucknow reaffirmed it.
The patient’s kin had hidden his travel history to Mumbai, alleged O.P Singh, in-charge of the Basti hospital. “When the patient arrived at the hospital, after complaining of breathing issues, he was admitted to the OPD ward. His attendants claimed he was ill for a month. He didn’t have any history or fever at the time. Our doctors diagnosed him in OPD and like a normal patient he went to the ward,” said Dr. Singh.
Had the family of the patient even mentioned once that he had returned from Mumbai, we would have admitted him to the Corona ward, the doctor added.
Tracing his route
The authorities are now trying to trace the people he may have contacted in two districts, including the hospital ward in Basti, where he was first before being shifted to the BRDMC on Sunday. Eight persons who came in touch with him were put under quarantine, informed Mr. Pandian. They are the six paramedics who treated him, the driver of the vehicle that brought him to BRD and his attendant. Besides, they are trying to track those who performed his final rites.
The patient in Meerut, a diabetic who was suffering from chronic pulmonary disease, tested positive on March 29, said R.C. Gupta, principal of the Meerut Medical College. Earlier, the patient’s son-in-law tested positive. The latter, who is from Khujra and lives in Amravati, had stayed at his in-law’s place but didn’t tell anyone, said Dr. Gupta, adding that he had also met relatives at three places.
Meanwhile, 13 new patients tested positive in U.P., taking the tally to 116. While nine cases were reported in Noida, two were recorded in Bulandshahr and one each in Agra and Basti, the U.P. Directorate of Medical Health Services informed.
