INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Vijayawada: A number of Covid-19 deaths are going unreported, especially at private hospitals as individuals are taking their loved ones
house against medical suggestions when there were bleak possibilities of survival and carrying out last rites after their death in different
parts of AP.This practice is very much common in backwoods where member of the family take clients to hospitals in important phase, and
return with them when told there are no beds, oxygen or other centers
Such deaths are not being reported to the government
The families choose by doing this as they do not wish to miss out on the possibility to bid final goodbye and conduct last rites, since they
would not be handed over the bodies if deaths were due to Covid-19
This practice is also found in urban centres, it is more widespread in rural areas
What is worrying is that individuals are reclaiming the sick home even if they are discovered to contract the viral infection, and therefore
are putting themselves at tirk
In Rajahmundry, a 63-year-old woman was infected with Coronavirus and was admitted in a personal healthcare facility
After a few days, as her oxygen levels dropped amazingly, the health center advised the family to move her to any other hospital which has a
Nevertheless, losing hope in her healing, her child worked with an ambulance to take her home and en route, he even purchased a body bag and
put an order for a casket
She died within a few hours of reaching house
Though it was a Covid-19 death, it went unaccounted for
Her member of the family buried her body at a burial ground based on their tradition
However, her husband and 2 kids were contaminated
Her spouse remains in crucial care at KGH, Visakhapatnam
A far-off relative, who was asked to look after her grandchildren aged ten years and 7 months, was likewise contaminated together with the
The kid recovered, he lies in vital condition at KGH
The deceased female's daughter and son-in-law who used PPE kits throughout the funeral service were, however, not infected
In another case at Kakinada, a 65-year-old retired worker was infected with the Coronavirus and was required to the government hospital
His oxygen saturation was down to 80% and likewise the pulse rate was down
As they could not get a bed, the household made queries with some hospitals and called for an ambulance
By the time it arrived, the patient passed away
The body was taken home and the death went unreported.A senior federal government medical professional stated, If Covid-19 deaths stop
working to be reported correctly, the state federal government might not be able to assess the gravity of the spread of infection and
resultant deaths, and come up with a strategy to tackle it
So, a system must be evolved to report all such deaths
Covid-19 infected bodies must never ever be offered to member of the family as it will lead to spread of the infection
Covid-19 test should likewise be done on those who died due to other reasons to play safe
