Gujarat: 3 employees of Cadila Pharmaceuticals die due to COVID-19
Three employees of the Gujarat-based pharma major Cadila Pharmaceuticals died due to the coronavirus disease on Friday, the company said. Earlier this month, 26 company employees had tested positive for COVID-19, forcing Cadila Pharmaceuticals to shut down its manufacturing plant in Dholka, Ahmedabad district. Now, the total number of employees who tested positive stands at 35. Here are more details.
All 3 deceased were aged between 40-58
According to The Indian Express, company officials identified the three deceased as Himanshu Kavathia, assistant general manager in the production department, Ashok Patel, a supervisor in the packaging department, and Umesh Chauhan, a contract worker. The three were aged between 40-58. While Himanshu and Ashok—both Ahmedabad residents—were being treated at a hospital, Umesh, a resident of Dholka's Bhat village, was being treated at home.
Umesh had been sent home after responding well to treatment
Company officials told the publication that Umesh had been sent home from the hospital after he responded well to treatment. "After three days, he developed complications," the official said. Umesh and Ashok were among those who tested positive initially.
35 Cadila employees tested positive so far
In the first week of May, 26 employees had tested positive for COVID-19. The company shut its formulations manufacturing plant on May 7. "Now, the total number of employees who have tested positive stands at 35," a company spokesperson told TIE. Eight employees and three relatives are currently quarantined at a facility established by Cadila on the campus of a Jain temple in Dholka.
Saddened by the passing of our employees, says company
A Cadila Pharmaceuticals spokesperson told TIE, "We are saddened by the passing of our employees. We have formed teams who are already talking to the families of those infected or quarantined." The spokesperson added, "We were preparing ourselves for reopening. We had conducted multiple sanitizations of the facility and state government health officials had already conducted an audit for the same."
Over 70% of Gujarat's confirmed cases concentrated in Ahmedabad
The Ahmedabad district is the worst-hit in Gujarat state, with 9,724 cases and 645 deaths. The state has reported 13,268 infections, including 802 deaths. Across India, 1,25,101 have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Union Health Ministry. Among them, 69,597 are active cases while 51,783 have been cured or discharged. The nationwide death toll stands at 3,720.
