As Covid casualties rise, Vij orders audit of deaths

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 21

With a rise in Covid deaths, Health Minister Anil Vij today ordered an audit of all casualties in the state due to the virus. Dr Dhruv Chaudhary, nodal officer for Covid, will investigate all deaths due to the virus, including those in the past.

“I am worried about the deaths. I have ordered an audit of all Covid casualties. Dr Dhruv Chaudhary will analyse the reasons of death. He will look into whether the patient was properly attended to during hospital stay and the kind of treatment offered,” said Vij.

“Dr Chaudhary will also hold a video-conference with Covid hospitals everyday and enquire about critical patients,” he stated.

The state health bulletin showed 15 deaths till Thursday — six in Faridabad, three in Panipat, two in Ambala and one each in Rohtak, Gurugram, Sonepat and Karnal.

The 15th patient was a 33-year-old man, who was on ventilator and was suffering from fever, cough and shortness of breath. A resident of Sector 53 in Gurugram, he died at the PGIMS in Rohtak.

A 50-year-old man from Jind, who tested positive on Tuesday and was admitted to the civil hospital in Agroha, died on Wednesday night.

He was admitted to a private hospital on May 14 and later tested positive for Covid. He had been suffering from lung cancer, but his death was yet to be counted in the state health bulletin.