52-year-old man from Hamirpur is Himachal’s third Covid fatality

Two more test positive in Una and Kangra, state tally rises to 76

DHARAMSHALA: A 52-year-old man from Hamirpur died due to Covid-19 in Himachal Pradesh on Friday, taking the death toll in the state to three, health officials said.

The patient was undergoing treatment at the Radha Soami Charitable Hospital Bhota, a dedicated Covid-19 care centre in Hamirpur district.

“He was referred to Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Nerchowk in Mandi on Friday after his condition deteriorated. He passed away at the hospital due to acute respiratory distress,” said Dr Nipun Jindal, special secretary (health)-cum-managing director National Health Mission.

The deceased had returned from Delhi to his native Hatli village on May 5. He had tested positive for the virus on May 9. He was shifted to the Covid hospital in Mandi as he was suffering from severe respiratory problems, officials said.

On May 5, a 21-year-old youth from Sarkaghat of Mandi district, who was also suffering from a kidney ailment, had died due to the disease at Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla.

Himachal had recorded the first death due to Covid-19 on March 23, when a 69-year-old Us-returned Tibetan man had died of acute respiratory distress at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (RPGMC),

THE DECEASED HAD RETURNED FROM DELHI TO HIS NATIVE HATLI VILLAGE ON MAY 5 AND HAD TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID ON MAY 9

Tanda.

Two more people tested positive for Covid-19 in the state on Friday, taking the total number of cases to 76.

The fresh infections have been reported from Una and Kangra districts.

The Una patient, a 33-year-old man, is a resident of Haroli subdivision and had returned from Mumbai to Mohali and then to Una.

He was quarantined at Palakvah quarantine centre at the state border, deputy commissioner Sandeep Kumar said. The patient has been shifted to Covidcare centre at Haroli.

Kumar said the youth tried to conceal his travel history. “He had returned from a red zone but applied for an entry pass from the orange zone,” the DC said.

The other case is a 22-year-old youth from Fatehpur sub-division of Kangra district. He returned from Delhi along with his father on May 8.

Active cases in the state have gone up to 34. Himachal Pradesh has witnessed a spurt in coronavirus cases since May 4, with 35 people testing positive.