Another man dies in Hyderabad, toll mounts to 7

HYDERABAD: Another man under treatment for Covid-19 at Hyderabad‘s Gandhi Hospital died on Wednesday, taking the death toll in Telangana to seven.

Hospital authorities confirmed the latest fatality. They said the deceased’s brother, undergoing treatment in the same ward, assaulted a doctor. Hospital Superintendent P. Sravan Kumar condemned the attack on a doctor performing his duty in this critical time.

The incident triggered tension on the 8th floor of the building housing the isolation ward. The hospital staff demanded security. The police had to intervene to pacify the agitating staff.

Health Minister Etala Rajender also condemned the attack on the doctor. He said such incidents would not be tolerated and assured the doctors and other hospital staff that action would be taken against the guilty.

The 56-year-old man was admitted to hospital a few days ago in a critical condition. His brother had also tested positive and was under treatment in the same ward.

It was not clear if like the six others who died, he too had attended Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Delhi last month.

The state had reported first death due to Covid-19 on March 28. The 74-year-old died at a private hospital in Hyderabad on March 26 and it was only after his death a test revealed he was Covid-19 positive. He had attended the Delhi meet at Tablighi Markaz in Nizamuddin.

On March 30, authorities declared death of five more persons. All had attended the Delhi meet. Two of them died at Gandhi Hospital while another breathed his last at a private hospital. One death each was reported from Nizamabad and Gadwal.

The authorities have not come out with details of the deceased.

A man, who too had attended Delhi congregation, died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital on Tuesday. However, there is no official word yet on the cause of his death.