West Bengal reports first Covid-19 death in Kolkata, toll in India reaches 8
Kolkata/IBNS: West Bengal on Monday afternoon confirmed the first Covid-19 death as a 57-year-old man, who was undergoing treatment in Kolkata's Salt Lake AMRI Hospital under ventilation support in a critical condition, died of cardiac failure, taking the death count in India to eight.
According to reports, the man fell sick on Mar 13, days after returning to his Dum Dum residence from Bilaspur and he was shifted to AMRI hospital from a local nursing home on Mar 16.
Days ago, his swab sample was sent to NICED and it tested positive for Covid-19.
Senior health officials said that eight persons who came in close contact with him, including his family members and AMRI doctors as well as medical staff who checked him up, have been admitted to the isolation ward of M.R. Bangur hospital in south Kolkata while their swab samples have been sent to NICED for tests.
"Few of the Covid-19 victim's colleagues who came in contact with him, have been identified and quarantined," a health official said.
"Though he had no recent travel history to foreign countries, his son recently returned from Italy," he added.
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is currently holding an all-party meeting to combat Covid-19, has directed her officials to cremate the body as soon as possible.
Sources in the state health department said that body of the Covid-19 victim will not be handed over to his family members and it will be cremated following all safety protocols.
Currently, six more Covid-19 infected patients are undergoing treatment in Kolkata's Beliaghata ID hospital.
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