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Pandemic claims family of four
PUNE It could be one of the most horrific Covid pandemic stories from Pune
PUNE It could be one of the most horrific Covid pandemic stories from Pune. The Jadhav family from Dhanori, unaware what lies ahead around a fortnight ago, organised rituals at home after a senior member passed away in January of a non-Covid ailment. Oblivious that some could be carriers of the Coronavirus, Jadhav invited members from an extended family.
The virus caught them unaware as members began to fall ill one after another. Within 15 days, four from the Jadhav family succumbed to the deadly virus while others were infected by it, said Arun Gaikwad, whose wife, her two brothers and mother died in the pandemic.
“On March 30, I lost my wife due to Covid. One of my brother-in-laws died on April 3 while mother-in-law passed away on April 4 and another brother-in-law succumbed to the virus on April 14. Just within a span of 15 days, a mother and three siblings died due to Covid,” said Gaikwad (47), a resident of Lohegaon, an eastern Pune suburb.
The Jadhav family members were undergoing treatment in at least three different hospitals where doctors administered an anti-viral drug remdesivir. However, none of the members could survive.
Dr Ameya Karnik, director, Shlok hospital where Gaikwad’s wife was admitted said that only one member of the Jadhav-Gaikwad family was admitted in his hospital. “The member died after a few days of hospitalisation,” said Karnik, who could not give more details citing that he was on duty.
Dr Milind Yeole, a general physician at Vinod Memorial where Gaikwad’s mother-in-law was hospitalised, said that she had lung infection. “She was elderly and the infection was in lungs. This is a rare case that all the family members succumbed to Covid. Immunity is important.”
While Gaikwad, a store superintendent at Indian Air Force was tested negative, his two children and mother along with family members of brother-in-law were also affected by Covid. When family members tried to probe the source of the virus in their house, they concluded that one of the brother-in-laws’ of Gaikwad had cough and cold on the day he attended puja at their home.
“This could have led to infection among the rest of the family members,” said Gaikwad.
Atul Jadhav, Gaikwad’s brother-in-law, was admitted to Devyani hospital Kothrud. “He was on ventilator at another facility and was shifted to our hospital for ventilator support. He was critical when he was brought here,” said a doctor from Devyani Hospital Kothrud on the condition of anonymity.
Jadhavs were not the only family ravaged by Covid in Pune district which has seen 8,827 fatalities till Friday. The district with 1.20 lakh active cases is among the worst affected in India.
Soham Chavan, a neighbour of the Jadhav family, said that the neighbourhood is in deep shock after the family lost all members to the virus.
“Our buildings are next to each other and we are regular visitors. They had puja at their residence on March 14 and then this nightmare started. It is a shock for us,” said Chavan
