COIMBATORE: A 25-year-old man admitted to the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College and Hospital (GH) in Salem for kidney treatment died late on Thursday night. He was later found to be Covid-19 positive, but doctors clarified that the cause of death was renal failure due to multiple comorbidities.
Hospital Dean Dr J. Devi Meenal stated that Covid-19 was not the cause of death. “The patient was admitted with comorbid conditions and passed away due to renal failure. Revealing further details could cause unnecessary panic,” she said.
Sources at the hospital said the youth, a resident of a village near Mettur in Salem, had been referred from a private hospital about a week ago after being diagnosed with renal failure and other health complications.
“He underwent treatment at GH and was later found to be Covid-19 positive during lab tests. He also had lung disease and respiratory issues. He died on Thursday night due to his underlying health conditions,” Dr Meenal added.
Meanwhile, in Coimbatore, misinformation about a mandatory mask rule for visitors at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) caused panic on Saturday.
Earlier, following a nationwide rise in Covid-19 cases, the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (DPH) had advised the public to wear masks and maintain physical distancing. However, a security guard at CMCH mistakenly announced via a public address system that wearing face masks was compulsory for all visitors.
The message was further circulated by vendors outside the hospital selling face masks, leading to confusion and concern among the public.
Hospital Dean Dr A. Nirmala clarified that the announcement was made in error. “A private firm that provides security and housekeeping services to CMCH had asked its staff to wear PPE kits, masks, and gloves for their own protection. The security staff misunderstood this instruction and conveyed it incorrectly to the public,” she said.
An internal inquiry was held, and staff were instructed not to make such announcements on their own. Dr Nirmala added, “There is no government order making masks compulsory. However, wearing masks is still advisable as respiratory infections tend to spread during the rainy season.”
She further clarified that there is currently no alarming rise in fever cases or Covid-19 infections in Coimbatore. “Some misinformation led to unnecessary panic among visitors,” she said.