Former LU exam controller dies after testing Covid +ve

LUCKNOW: Former exam controller of Lucknow University (LU) Prof AK Sharma, 64, succumbed to complications caused by the Covid-19 infection here on Thursday. Sharma was admitted in the ICU of a private hospital since March 27, after testing positive forCovid-19.

He had reportedly got his first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on March 10 and was scheduled to take the second dose on April 8, according to his family and his social media post at the time of his inoculation. Sharma is survived by his wife and two daughters. A family member said he had mild fever on March 22.

“On March 23, we took my father for a Covid-19 test to a government approved testing centre. But his Covid-19 test came negative. After a few days, when his condition worsened, we took him to another hospital where he tested positive on March 27. Doctors put him on a ventilator there from which he could not recover,” his elder daughter said.

Doctors at the private hospital declined to comment on the matter. LU’s zoology department, where Prof Sharma taught for decades, and the university administration condoled his death. On Wednesday night, the university officials issued a press release, stating that seven of its staff had tested positive. The list also included retired professor AK Sharma’s name because he reportedly visited the campus last week. The LU administration has asked people who met Sharma on the campus to get tested for Covid-19.

Popular among students, Sharma was known for his energetic demeanour and calm approach. Several of his former students wrote condolence messages for Sharma on various social media platforms, where he was very active.