Bengaluru, July 23: Doctor Manjunath ST, a frontline COVID-19 warrior in Karnataka's Bengaluru, on Thursday succumbed to the deadly virus days after he was turned away by three private hospitals. Dr Manjunath had contracted the virus when he was posted on COVID-19 duty at Chikkamudavadi primary health centre in Ramanagara district. He breathed his last at Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI). Bengaluru Municipal Corporation Seals Doors of Two Flats With Steel Sheets After COVID-19 Case Reported, Removes Them After Woman Complains on Twitter.

According to reports, Dr Manjunath, who had developed high fever and breathlessness on June 25, was refused admission by Rajashekhar Hospital in JP Nagar, BGS Global Hospital in Kengeri and Sagar hospital in Kumaraswamy Layout. All three private hospitals refused to provide him with treatment because his family did not have his COVID-19 test result. He was finally hospitalised after his family sat in protest outside Sagar hospital. Bengaluru: List of COVID-19 Hospitals in the City With Live BBMP Dashboard For Checking Availability of ICU Beds, Ventilators And Other Details.

Dr Nagendra Kumar, a medical officer with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike and brother-in-law Dr Manjunath, couldn't help. "It was a suspected case, and he was awaiting his test report. We, doctors, could not get a bed for him in three private hospitals we went to. All three hospitals rejected admission as he didn’t have his Covid-19 test report," Dr Nagendra Kumar was quoted by TOI as saying.

There was a slight improvement in the condition of Dr Manjunath. However, he was shifted to BMCRI on July 9 after his condition deteriorated. "The doctors had said his lung wasn’t expanding and he required to be in the prone position, but that was not done," said Dr Nagendra. But no physiotherapist agreed to wear PPE and enter the COVID-19 ICU. "We sought the help of a private physiotherapist, who could have helped and the man agreed to come," he added.

Dr Manjunath succumbed to COVID-19 when the BMCRI approval for allowing a private physiotherapist was under process. Six members of his family, including a 14-year-old, had tested COVID-19 positive. Most of them have recovered.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 23, 2020 09:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).