Former SC Judge and Karnataka Lokayukta N Venkatachala passes away

Mumbai, June 9: A 45-year-old doctor posted in the 108 ambulance service at Malad railway station in Mumbai died of COVID-19 after two hospitals refused admission, in spite of the fact that he was a frontline warrior against coronavirus.

The victim is Dr Shaukat Ali, who was working with the 108 ambulance service for the last four years. A few days ago, he got his blood tests done after his health deteriorated. The result stated typhoid fever following which he started getting treatment at home in Malwani.

Ali's family ran from pillar to post to get him hospitalised in either a private or government hospital, to no avail.

"On Friday, his condition worsened and he started feeling breathless. Despite us calling the 108 ambulance service, no one picked up the call. So after waiting for a while, I and uncle's colleague, Dr Nigam, rushed him to SK Patil hospital in Malad East in an auto. But they refused us stating they were admitting only COVID-19 patients.”

“Then we took him to Desai Hospital, where doctors were initially ready to admit him but later refused stating lack of beds. They said we could take him home as his condition was fine," Zubair Shaikh, Ali's nephew said.

"But his condition worsened. So, I called Dr Nigam and we managed to admit him in Shatabdi hospital. On Sunday, when his results came out stating that he had COVID-19, doctors had already put him on a ventilator, where he passed away in the evening," he added.

Zubair further said, "Had the doctors at Desai Memorial Hospital admitted him, my uncle would have been alive today. It is a matter of great regret that a doctor, who was risking his life during this pandemic, could not get help from his own government hospitals."

Ali's wife and his two children's are in UP, while he was staying with his elder daughter who had recently appeared for HSC exams and preparing for NEET.

Puttur, June 19: A 32-year-old woman in Puttur taluk of Dakshina Kannada district died due to complications caused by dengue yesterday.

The deceased is Naseema (32), wife of Nazeer Master, a resident of Parpunja village in the taluk.

She was not well for past few weeks and she was diagnosed with dengue fever with chills a week ago.

Initially she underwent treatment at a hospital in Puttur. After her condition worsened, she was shifted to a private hospital in Deralakatte.

However, she breathed her last without responding to any treatment last night.

Naseema is the second victim of the mosquito-borne infection in Puttur taluk this month. Last week, dengue had claimed the life of a woman in Bettampady village in the same taluk.

Mangaluru, May 2:  Fishermen in the coastal districts fear that the fishing season ending on May 31 every year might be rescheduled early this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement department of fisheries on sturday said fishing season is closed for 61 days every year before the arrival of the monsoon.

As per the data with the Fisheries Department, this year the number of fishes caught has set a record.