COVID-19 symptoms but tested negative twice, 26-year-old doctor dies
A 26-year-old junior doctor, working in Delhi, passed away on Thursday at his hometown Rohtak, hours after telling his elder brother that he was confident he was infected with coronavirus. Surprisingly, he tested negative twice. His last rites were performed on Friday and the bereaved family is finding it hard to accept that their son is no more. May his soul rest in peace.
The doctor worked at Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences
26-year-old Dr. Abhishek Bhayana worked as a junior resident doctor at Delhi's Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences (MAIDS), which is linked with Lok Nayak Hospital, Delhi's biggest COVID-19 facility. An energetic doctor, he had scored AIR 21 in the AIIMS, MDS examination. But trouble spelled for him when he developed symptoms of coronavirus about 10 days ago. Last month, he had tested negative.
Doctor's elder brother revealed his condition worsened by Thursday
After his first test came as negative, he traveled to Rohtak. The symptoms didn't subside and he took the test again on Wednesday, July 1. The result was no different than the first one. By Thursday, his health condition worsened. Bhayana's elder brother, Aman, said he was fine before that. "We were under the impression that it was nothing but viral fever," he said.
Initially, the family took him to a chest specialist
When Bhayana complained of throat pain and cough, his family took him to a chest specialist. "An X-ray was performed and we were told he has a chest infection. But he kept saying the symptoms were not of chest infection as he was having shortness of breath," Aman said. Thereafter, the family rushed him to a private hospital on Thursday.
Still can't believe he is not with us: Elder brother
Aman revealed the doctors at the private hospital administered oxygen, but it was "too late by then." Recalling his last conversation with his brother, Aman said, "I kept telling him that nothing will happen to him...We still can't believe he is not with us. Our parents are in shock." A doctor at MAIDS told IE that Bhayana died of a heart attack.
Health-care officials are at a high risk of getting infected
Similarly, one doctor told HT that while Bhayana wasn't deployed at COVID-19 wards, he could have gotten infected anywhere. "Every hospital has been getting COVID-19 cases and exposure could have happened anywhere. He did work in the screening area where everyone coming into the hospital is checked for COVID-19 symptoms before being allowed in," the doctor said. In Delhi alone, nearly 2,000 health-care officials tested positive.
