Srinagar, April 8 (GNS): A day after Kashmir recorded third coronavirus death, the authorities on Wednesday put 22 family members of the deceased Bandipora man under quarantine amid fears of transmission of the infection.
Reliable sources at the SKIMS hospital told GNS today that among the 22 people admitted today, nineteen were family members of the deceased man. Among them were ten females and children, the youngest just eight months old.
Three others are said to be relatives of the deceased man.
Hospital sources further said that tests of all the 22 people have been collected and sent for laboratory examination.
“The results are expected to come tomorrow. For now, all of them have been placed under quarantine,” they said
The 52-year-old from Gund Jahangir village of Bandipora, died at SMHS hospital hours after being admitted to the hospital. His test samples came positive for coronavirus disease on Tuesday afternoon, making him the third case of death due to the dreaded disease in the Valley.
However, the family of the deceased ruled out his death due to Covid-19. They also alleged that the family members were not given protective gear when the body was being shifted to his native village for last rites.
Reyaz Ahmad, brother-in-law of deceased had told GNS over phone, that the man was admitted to hospital on Monday. “No doctor visited him despite our requests. At 3 pm, two paramedical staffers came and administered two injections to him,” said Reyaz who claimed to have accompanied him to the hospital for “checkup.”
“He was diabetic and hypertension patient and we went to the hospital for ‘check-up’. He was admitted to hospital and kept inside the ward which we came to know has been kept for COVID-19 management,” he said.
He said that the deceased had not traveled outside Hajin in the recent past. “He was an orchardist and was at home from last several months,” he added. (GNS)