The second wave of COVID-19 has hit the country and made irreparable damages. In one such instance from Meerut, two twin brothers who were born three minutes apart, Joefred Varghese Gregory and Ralfred George died battling COVID-19 within hours of each other on May 13.
The twins, both engineers, tested positive for the virus a day after they turned 24 on April 23 and were admitted to Anand Hospital on May 1 following which they tested negative for the virus on May 10.
The parents said even though the twins recovered from COVID-19, the infection had spread to their lungs and worsened their condition. Then on May 13 at around 11pm Gregory Rafael and his wife received a call from the hospital about the death of their 24 year old son, Joefred Varghese Gregory.
Joefred had complained about having breathing issues earlier that day. The parents said when they talked to him, Ralphred immediately sensed something was wrong. “Maa, you are hiding something. Something has happened and you are not telling me,” Ralphred told his mother feebly.
Just metres away, Ralphred was at the same hospital battling for his life. His condition also deteriorated, and he passed away the next day on May 10. “Three days later, our world came crashing… When Joefred died, I had a sixth sense that Ralphred would not make it. Simply because they were inseparable” said Raphael to the media.
The twins had developed fever on April 23, which lasted for several days. They took medications but their condition deteriorated. Around May 1, both were admitted to Anand Hospital after their oxygen levels began dipping and had to eventually be put on ventilator support in the ICU.
Now Gregorys’ third son, who is the eldest, has also tested positive for COVID-19.