2 more gas tragedy victims die of COVID-19 in Bhopal; toll 7
A 70-year-old gas mishap survivor died on April 17while another 60-year-old tragedy victim died on April 14,Rachna Dhingra, of the NGO Bhopal Group for Information andActionwhich is working for the gas mishap victims, told .
Samples of both the victims came out positive forcoronavirus after their death, she said.
Survivors of the 1984 toxic gas tragedy are morevulnerable to the coronavirus infection and need special care,she said.
Earlier this month, five victims of the gas leak haddied due to the coronavirus disease here.
The Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Center(BMHRC), a dedicated facility for the treatment of gas mishapsurvivors, was recently turned into a medical facility forcoronavirus patients, causing hardship to these people.
However, after the outrage over the five deaths, thegovernment against classified BMHRC as a facility for the gastragedy victims.
The first coronavirus victim from Bhopal, a 55-year-old man, died at a city hospital on April 5, Dhingra said.
Another 80-year-old gas tragedy victim, who was aretired employee of the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited(BHEL), died on April 8 and his sample came out positive forcoronavirus on April 11, she said.
Besides, a 40-year-old gas tragedy victim, who wassuffering from oral cancer for more than a year, died on April12 and his sample test report later came out positive forcoronavirus, she said.
Another 52-year-old gas mishap survivor, who sufferedfrom a permanent injury, had history of tuberculosis. Herecently tested positive for coronavirus and died on his wayto the COVID-19 ward at Hamidia hospital, she said.
Also, a 75-year-old senior journalist, who survivedthe gas tragedy, died on April 11 and his sample test reportcame out positive for coronairus on April 14, she said.
On March 21, some organisations working for thewelfare of gas tragedy survivors wrote to the state andcentral authorities concerned, saying an overwhelming numberof gas victims suffer from respiratory, cardiovascular, kidneyproblems and cancer as a result of exposure to the toxic gasthat leaked at the Union Carbide factory here in 1984.
They claimed that these survivors were at least fivetimes more vulnerable to COVID-19 than other people andtherefore, need special care.
According to the state health bulletin, Bhopal has sofar reported seven deaths due to COVID-19.
All the deceased were gas tragedy victims, Dhingrasaid. MASGK GK