No call for ambulance received, says Howrah district admin

Kolkata: Brushing aside the allegations of non-availability of ambulances that led to death of a COVID-19 patient at Liluah in Howrah, the district administration has stated that no call was received at any helpline number for an ambulance.

A 40-year-old COVID-19 patient died in his house at Liluah in Howrah on Monday morning as he was in home isolation. It was alleged that it had not become possible to take him to hospital as the ambulance did not turn up despite contacting different helpline numbers. According to the district authority no call for ambulance was received at any of the helpline numbers of the state government or that of the district authorities and Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC). It has further stated that a call was received at HMC helpline at 10 am that was after his death and immediately hearse van was pressed. It was by 12.15 pm the victim's mortal remains were moved to TL Jaiswal Hospital.

He had tested positive on July 22 and was admitted to Satyabala ID Hospital. He was released after a few days as he was asymptomatic. But district authorities later came to know that he had started suffering from severe breathing trouble from Sunday.