Man Who is UP's First Covid-19 Fatality Hid Travel History from Hospital, Was Treated in General Ward

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh recorded its first death due to coronavirus; a 25-year-old man who had died on Monday.

The deceased had been first admitted to the District Hospital, Basti. After his condition failed to improve, his kin took him to the BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur.

His first test report for Covid-19 came positive at BRD, but the samples were sent to King George's Medical University, Lucknow for a confirmatory test, as well.

The test report from KGMU on Wednesday confirmed that the man had been suffering from the novel coronavirus disease.

This is the first fatality from Covid-19 in the state. The patient hailed from Turkahiya locality in Basti District, and owned a grocery shop there.

Upon his admission to the Basti Hospital, he hid his recent travel history to Mumbai and Hyderabad, and was thus admitted to the general ward, said hospital authorities.

"He told us that he had been sick for a month, if he had revealed his travel history, we would have admitted him the coronavirus ward," Dr OP Singh, District Hospital, Basti, said.

However, the incidence has invoked fear in the hospital staff and doctors, who gheraoed the hospital authorities on Wednesday.

Authorities will now be checking his entire locality for any other people possibly infected with the respiratory disease, as well.

District Magistrate K Vijyendra Pandian said the patient had been under treatment for kidney problems for the last three months.

"He came to BRD Medical College on Sunday at 3:15 pm and he expired on Monday at 8 pm," Pandian said.

The DM said the patient was facing respiratory issues and his sample was taken as her protocol. "He tested positive at the BRD lab. After this he immediately informed Basti District Administration and the samples were sent to KGMU Lucknow for confirmation, where once again he tested positive," he said.

"Now we are tracing everyone who could have possibly come in contact with the deceased and also those who participated in his last rites," Pandian added.

The team of six people who attended to the deceased at BRD have also been quarantined, he said. Others who have been quarantined include the driver who transported the patient, and his brother-in-law.

"Their swab tests will be conducted post five days of isolation. We are also in constant touch with the Basti administration," Pandian said.

The total number of patients infected with Covid-19 in Uttar Pradesh reached 109, with five new cases reported on Wednesday.

A doctor whose son had recently returned from UK tested positive in Agra, and two more in Gautam Buddh Nagar District were found infected with coronavirus.

Two people also tested positive in Bulandshahr District; relatives of a previous case.

Earlier, the District Magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar was removed from his position on Monday after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited Noida to take stock of preparations to fight the ongoing pandemic.

A video clip showed an unhappy Adityanath scolding DM BN Singh over lapses in attempts of containing the disease.

The Ceasefire Company in the Noida is reported to be a virus epicentre after 18 people from here were found to be associated with the firm.

An FIR has been lodged against the company for hiding facts and its operations have been ceased by the administration.