He had gone to his native village ahead of his wedding on Thursday, but 32-year-old D.M. Pruthviraj was claimed by COVID-19 just a day before in Chikkamagaluru district, plunging his family and the bride-to-be in grief.
Mr. Pruthviraj, a native of Devarakudige in Koppa taluk of Chikkamagaluru district, was working in a private company in Bengaluru. He had gone to his native place 10 days ago for wedding preparations. After he tested positive, he isolated himself at home.
However, as his condition deteriorated, he was shifted to McGann Hospital in Shivamogga. He succumbed to the infection on Wednesday.
According to sources, Mr. Pruthviraj was admitted to the Koppa taluk hospital on April 23. Then his oxygen level was 89%. He had a mild fever, stomach ache, and breathlessness.
The doctors at Koppa treated him for a day and discharged him on April 24. They referred him to McGann Hospital in Shivamogga as his oxygen level suddenly dropped to 70%. He was put on ventilator in Shivamogga and finally passed away on Wednesday.
Doctors said there have been several instances of oxygen levels dropping suddenly, requiring oxygenated beds and ICU admission.
An ICU doctor in Hassan said, “We have had cases of people in the general ward experiencing a sudden decrease in oxygen level. They had to be shifted to the ICU. Because of non-availability of ICU beds, two of them died. We did not see this kind of deterioration last year. Earlier, those in ICU would recover in one or two days. But now they take weeks.”
