AMRITSAR SMO SUCCUMBS TO CORONAVIRUS
Punjab reports the highest single-day death toll as tally reaches 52,526 with 1,689 fresh infections
AMRITSAR:: Dr Arun Sharma, the senior medical officer (SMO) of Amritsar Civil Hospital, who featured in a viral video recently with a positive message on beating Covid-19 bravely, died on Sunday at a private hospital from the disease and underlying comorbidities.
The 54-yearold corona warrior had tested positive on August 18.
AMRITSAR/LUDHIANA/PATIALA/ BATHINDA/JALANDHAR: Dr Arun Sharma, the senior medical officer (SMO) of Amritsar Civil Hospital, who featured in a viral video recently with a positive message on beating Covid-19 bravely, died on Sunday at a private hospital from the disease and underlying comorbidities. The 54-year-old doctor tested positive on August 18.
“Besides Covid-19, Dr Arun Sharma was suffering from heart ailments. Also, the virus had attacked his lungs. He was put on ventilator on Saturday but the doctors couldn’t save him despite best efforts,” said Dr Navdeep Singh, Amritsar civil surgeon.
Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh tweeted, “Saddened to lose one of our hardworking corona warrior Dr Arun. It’s sad to lose such a brilliant and committed doctor. Heartfelt condolences to his family.”
A video had shown Dr Sharma trying to dance while sitting in bed at the hospital’s emergency ward with oxygen support attached.
Health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu attended Dr Sharma’s cremation on Sunday.
Calling him a true Corona Warrior, Sidhu said, an “Intensivist from PGI was guiding his clinical management and the state was preparing for him to be airlifted to PGI or Medanta Hospital for further treatment. He was a brilliant and diligent officer of the health department and was enthusiastically battling against Covid-19 in the front line since March.”
Medical education and research minister OP Soni and local MP Gurjit Singh Aujla also attended the funeral.
Meanwhile, the state reported a record 56 Covid-related fatalities taking the death toll to 1,404, according to a medical bulletin. Earlier, the maximum deaths reported in a day were 51.
The Covid-19 tally has increased to 52,526 after 1,689 cases were reported in the state on Sunday, the bulletin said.
Ludhiana topped the chart with 15 deaths, followed by eight from Patiala, seven from Jalandhar, five from Sangrur, four each from Bathinda and Kapurthala, three from Amritsar and two each from Fatehgarh Sahib and Hoshiarpur, and one each from Ferozepur, Pathankot, Muktsar, Mohali, Faridkot and Moga districts, as per the medical bulletin.
Ludhiana reported 273 new cases followed by Patiala 188, Jalandhar 150, Mohali 148, Gurdaspur 136, Amritsar 111, Fazilka 68 and Bathinda 65.
A total of 1,656 coronavirus patients were discharged after recovering from the infection. So far 35,747 people have been cured of the infection, the bulletin said.
There are 15,375 active Covid-19 cases in the state, as of now, according to the bulletin. Barnala senior superintendent of police Sandeep Goel tested positive for Covid-19.