Freedom fighter loses battle with corona at 95

Even as the test results of the deceased came only two days after the funeral, his family members, relatives and the ambulance crew have been quarantined.

The deceased, a resident of Vedagiri Mastri Street in Chintadripet, was already suffering from heart ailment and was bedridden for the last three months. His son had returned from Delhi on March 24 after participating in the religious meet and volunteered to be quarantined at the Omandurar Government Hospital from April 1. Since his tests results turned out to be negative, he was discharged on April 9.

While his wife and one of his two sons were stuck in Madurai due to the lockdown since March 24, both the sons stayed with the victim in the house. On April 13, the victim developed complication and was taken to a private hospital from where they were directed to Omandurar Hospital. After his samples were taken for the tests, he was referred to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH).

However, since the admission got delayed, the victim was brought home. The next day, after fever shot up, he was taken to Omandurar Hospital, and was again referred to RGGGH. He was taken to Government Royapettah Hospital (GRH), but doctors declared him dead on arrival.

The son requested the doctors not to perform autopsy and brought the body home. A death certificate from a doctor in the neighbourhood mentioned that the victim died of heart ailment and got police permission to bury his body in Royapettah. However, two days later, on Thursday, the lab results of the victim tested positive to COVID-19. After the Corporation officials found out that he had already died and was buried, his sons and five other relatives, including the ambulance crew were quarantined.