Filipino 'Tabligh' who tested positive of novel coronavirus dies in Mumbai

By MASIDING NOOR YAHYA

A 68-year-old 'Tabligh' or Islamic scholar from the Philippines, who had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, succumbed on Sunday night at a hospital in Powai, an upscale residential neighborhood located in central Mumbai, a daily in India reported.

In its Tuesday edition, The Hindu newspaper reported the patient developed respiratory distress and went into renal failure. It did not name the dead patient.

The report quoted Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials as saying his two repeat tests were negative and they were reviewing if his death could be termed as a COVID-19 death.

The patient was first admitted to Kasturba Hospital. Given that he had underlying conditions like diabetes and asthma, his condition remained critical throughout. He was shifted to Hiranandani Hospital on Sunday and he died a few hours later, it added.

State government officials and members of the (Philippine) embassy are in contact with the family members of the senior citizen to discuss the last rites. Officials said the burial would be carried out after following the infection control protocol.

The victim had arrived in Mumbai on March 3 in a group of 10 to visit several mosques in the country. They had then travelled to Delhi and returned to Mumbai on March 10.

The group was staying at a mosque in Navi Mumbai. After he developed symptoms, the patient first visited a local doctor who referred him to Kasturba where he tested positive on March 13. Two other members from his group have also tested positive and are currently admitted to Kasturba.

A doctor, who did not wish to be named, said the patient should have been shifted to a well-equipped hospital much earlier. The patient was on non-invasive ventilator support while at Kasturba and he was also put on dialysis. The hospital had to get dialysis machine from another civic hospital. “By the time he was shifted, chances of his revival were extremely slim,” the doctor said.

BMC’s deputy executive health officer Dr. Daksha Shah said the death review committee would look into this case but as of now it could not be termed a COVID-19 death.

(With report from Jyoti Shelar of The Hindu)