A young bride lost the battle against COVID-19 after a frantic, day-long search for a hospital bed allegedly ended in disappointment in Bhubaneswar.
Ambulance-borne Swarnalata Pal (25) was taken from one hospital to another for nearly 10 hours, but she could not secure admission to an ICU (intensive care unit). She breathed her last in the ambulance.
She had only been married for three weeks when she met the tragic end. Her marriage to Bishnu Charan Bhola, a resident of Indoloakusiari village on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, took place on April 28.
“Before her death, Swarnalata had mild fever. On Saturday, her husband came running to me to inform that she was experiencing shortness of breath and was required to be shifted to a hospital. We took her to a government hospital at Athantara by an ambulance. Since the hospital did not have an ICU facility, we were asked to rush the patient to the Capital Hospital,” said Niranjan Bhol, a relative of the victim.
“The family delayed spotting COVID-19 symptoms in Swarnalata. Her oxygen level started dipping. COVID-19 test was conducted on her upon reaching Capital Hospital. She tested positive. Since there was no ICU bed available, we took her to AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences)-Bhubaneswar and a few private hospitals. We could not find any ICU. She was still in the ambulance when she breathed her last,” said Mr. Bhol.
Her body was cremated at the Satya Nagar crematorium here on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Ganjam district administration has urged all attendees, including the bride and bridegroom, to undergo COVID-19 tests prior to weddings. The appeal came in the wake of wedding functions becoming a source of infections.
“We request all that anyone seeking permission to marry should come with a COVID-19 negative report. Since not more than 50 people can attend in a marriage, it will not be difficult to undergo a COVID-19 test. Then we can be assured that the wedding does not become a source of infections,” said Ganjam District Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange.
