Anganwadi worker ‘dies of virus’, kin take body home

Tension prevailed in Poonamallee Government Hospital on Friday after the kin of a 60-year-old woman, who was suspected to have died of COVID-19, took her body back home in Mangadu without informing the doctors.

A group of men brought C Navaneetham of North Malayambakkam, who worked as a helper at an Anganwadi in Kundrathur to Poonamalle Government Hospital on Friday noon claiming she fell unconscious due to shortness of breath.

However, doctors declared her brought dead and informed Poonamallee police station and health officials that she could have died of COVID-19. But before the officials concerned reached the hospital, the kin of Navaneetham took her body back to her house in a vehicle.

Around 1.30 pm, the hospital authorities informed Mangadu police as Malayambakkam falls under their jurisdiction and a team of police personnel rushed to her house and retrieved the body to send it to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital. COVID tests were conducted using her samples and the family members have been asked to quarantine themselves until the result is declared.

In another incident, V Mallika (61) of Teynampet complained of breathlessness and was rushed to the Government Royapettah Hospital.

However, doctors declared her dead on arrival. The body has been sent for postmortem. Similarly, R Anuradha (53) of Selaiyur, died in similar circumstances on Friday night and her body has been kept at Chromepet government hospital. Their samples have been collected to ascertain whether they had contracted COVID.