Negative test results for COVID-19 led to a bizarre incident at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital earlier this week, with the family of a deceased patient informed by hospital authorities that he was alive just hours after they had performed his cremation.
Devrambhai Bhisikar had been admitted to the COVID-19 isolation ward of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital on May 28 with fever, cough and breathlessness, all symptoms of COVID-19.
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He died the following day before the results of his samples came from the laboratory and hence, as per protocol for suspected COVID-19 cases, his body was wrapped in PPE and handed over to the family. They cremated soon after as per instructions of the hospital authorities, with only two persons allowed in the ambulance carrying the body.
“He died on May 29 and the hospital handed over his body, which was completely wrapped and out of fear of the infection, we did not open the cover to see his face also,” said Nilesh Nikte, son-in-law of the deceased.
“Just two of us — myself and my wife’s cousin — cremated the body and we reached home walking all the way from Vadaj crematorium to Viratnagar and in the morning we were informed that he was alive,” a distraught Mr. Nikte told The Hindu .
“When we returned home, we received multiple phone calls from the hospital in the early morning on May 30 that the corona report of Devrambhai had tested negative and he could be shifted to the general ward. We were shocked and speechless,” he recalled.
“When we rushed to the hospital, the doctor informed us that it was a mistake of the control room person, who informed us that Devrambhai was alive based on his negative test results,” he said, narrating the horrific experience the family went through.
After the incident was widely reported in the local media, the hospital issued a clarification.
“It was mistake of the [control room] person, who informed the relative without checking patient’s status and asked them to facilitate shifting of patient on basis of negative report for COVID-19 test,” the hospital said in a statement.
