21-YEAR-OLD KIDNEY PATIENT DIES OF COVID-19 IN SHIMLA

SHIMLA/:DHARAMSHALA: A 21-yearold youth from Sarkaghat subdivision of Mandi district died of Covid-19 at Indira Gandhi Government Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla on Tuesday.

He had returned from Delhi on April 29 after undergoing treatment for a kidney ailment.

He was shifted to Lal Bahadur Shastri medical college in Mandi’s Nerchowk on Monday evening, from where he was brought to Shimla on Tuesday, director of national health mission, Himachal Pradesh, Dr Nipun Jindal said.

His samples were tested for Covid-19 at Nerchowk medical college, which came out positive, he added.

The doctors and paramedical staff, who came in his direct contact at IGMC, have been quarantined.

The management of Nerchowk hospital has been told to quarantine the staff who attended to the patient.

“Authorities have also started his contact mapping and all of his direct contacts will be tested for Covid-19,” said Dr Jindal.

This is the second covid-related death in Himachal Pradesh that has so far registered 42 cases, two of which are active.

BIGGER THREAT LOOMS

Himachal Pradesh is now staring at a bigger threat as thousands of people have entered the state in recent days without being properly scanned.

The state government had opened its borders on April 26 to facilitate return of people stuck in the others states.

Thousands of them had thronged the state borders to return home, resulting in huge gatherings at interstate barriers.As per the government record, more than 95,000 people have returned to the state within a week, which prompted the government to close its borders again.

Those who had already entered were simply requested to observe home quarantine. No concrete steps were taken to screen for them for the contagion.

HAD RETURNED FROM DELHI ON APRIL 29 AFTER UNDERGOING TREATMENT FOR A KIDNEY AILMENT