GAJAPATI (ODISHA): A cancer patient, who had returned from Andhra Pradesh after attempting to meet his son, died at a COVID-19 quarantine shelter on Thursday in Allada village, Kasinagar district of Odisha. He was not allowed into his son's house because the villagers opposed to it fearing the coronavirus infection.
The 54-year-old man, along with his wife had travelled to Relangi village in West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh to meet his son on May 18. The following day when he returned to his own village by an ambulance in Gajapati district in Odisha, he was denied entry here as well.
"Villagers did not allow him to enter the village due to the fear of the virus," said Anupam Saha, District Magistrate.
With no option left, he went to a COVID-19 quarantine centre in Allada where he was kept in a temporary cyclone centre. He was being treated there but he couldn't make through Thursday morning.
"He was at the last stage of cancer and had returned from the cancer hospital four months back. His last rites were performed as per the COVID-19 guidelines in presence of his family," said Sangram Sekhar Panda, in-charge of the quarantine centre where Krishna passed away.
His son arrived from Andhra Pradesh for his father's final rites.
With the sudden spike in cases for COVID-19 in the state, fear and panic are on the rise. According to the State Health Department, 86 new positive cases have been reported in the last 24 hours in Odisha.
With 789 active cases, the tally of confirmed cases stands at 1,189 in the state.