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Last rites of Covid positive woman performed amid strict precautions, five more cases emerge
Ghaziabad:
Ghaziabad:
The last rites of the 60-year-old Covid-19 positive woman, who succumbed to her medical conditions on Thursday, was performed by her son on Friday afternoon amid strict precautions directed by the district health department.
Officials said that it was the first instance in Ghaziabad when a Covid-19 patient died, though she didn’t die due to the deadly virus.
“The woman’s son at the Hindon cremation ground was asked to perform last rites in a PPE kit. The formalities to get the body from the hospital and taking it back to the cremation ground took time. But it was the first such case for us and we were taking up every documentation and precaution. Besides our officials, only three members from the family were present,” said Dr NK Gupta, chief medical officer.
Meanwhile, the district on Friday reported five more Covid-19 cases, taking the tally to 71. So far, 44 patients have been discharged from different hospitals after being cured, the officials said.
The woman, who died on Thursday, was admitted to Yashoda Hospital on the morning of April 29 and her Covid-19 samples were taken the same day. A day later, she succumbed to heart stroke a few hours after her test results confirmed her positive for Covid-19.
“She had comorbid conditions and high sugar levels. We had put her on ventilator support, but she succumbed. The cause of her death was heart stroke, but she was also found positive for Covid-19. The area where the patient was admitted has been shut for 72 hours and all sanitization procedures have been taken up,” said Dr Sangeeta Garg, chief medical superintendent of Yashoda Hospital.
Meanwhile, the victim’s son said he now faces an uphill task to protect his family as he has two little daughters -- one four-month-old and another six-year-old.
“My mother had come in from our native town of Tundla in December as my wife was expecting a baby in January. Then, my daughter was born and my mother stayed with us. She never went out but contracted the Coronavirus infection. My biggest worry is about securing my family now, and we would request the health department to make us stay in home isolation. Otherwise, I have called up two other relatives who will be with my family in case I am sent to a quarantine facility,” he said.
The family stays in the Vijay Nagar’s Sector 12 area.
Govind Yadav, president of the RWA, said that the area was not sealed or sanitized till Friday afternoon.
“There were about 8-10 persons who had helped bring down the woman to the ambulance from the second-floor flat in the building. All these persons, including her family members, need to be tested at the earliest,” he added.
The CMO said that he will try that the family stays in home isolation while following social distancing norms.
“There are other rituals which the family has to perform after the death. So, we will consider letting them in home isolation, but with strict isolation. Tests of all those, including local residents, who came in contact with the woman will be conducted soon. The sanitization procedures have been taken up,” Dr Gupta said.
On Friday, Ghaziabad reported five new positive cases, the officials said.
“The five patients include a head constable of Delhi Police from Vaishali, a woman from Vasundhara, a man from Raj Nagar Extension, a quarantined patient, and another man who is a government employee. In all, our active cases stood at 27,” CMO added.
According to the district administration officials, on Friday, they de-sealed eight epicentre areas -- SCC Sapphire high-rise in Raj Nagar Extension, Gyan Khand I (Indirapuram), Shipra Sun City (Indirapuram), Sector 2B at Vasundhara, Shalimar Garden Extension 2, Sector 6 at Vaishali, Oxy Home high-rise at Bhopra, and Khatu Shyam Colony at Duhai.
Currently, there are a total of 17 hot spots in the district -- 15 in red zone, and two in orange zone, the officials said.
The district magistrate on Friday also gave directions to the health department to increase the number of sampling.
“We have directed for door-to-door mandatory sampling of persons who have symptoms and living in hot spots/epicentre areas. Such areas should also have random sampling. Contact tracing is to be enhanced as we are already getting police surveillance support. Sampling from community areas should also be taken up on daily basis,” said Ajay Shankar Pandey, district magistrate.
