Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Jun 29: Three days after the demise of a 76 year old due to COVID-19 on Saturday, June 27, five children of the deceased tested positive. All the five children have been admitted to Covid care centre. The family hails from Fatorda.

The health services directorate has linked the family testing positive as Ambelim link. "One of the woman's children went with her son to Ambelim to receive blessings, following which she gave it to others in the family. All the family members were not living in Fatorda. Some were in Curtorim, Chinchinim, etc," Dr Ira Almeida, deputy director of health services said.

Dr Almeida also said that the woman didn't go out, but the virus was carried to her from elsewhere.

The woman was admitted to a private hospital on June 20, as she had hypertension, she decided to go home after she tested positive and was waiting for an ambulance. "Doctors managed to convince her to get admitted at ESI hospital the same day. She was taken to the ICU and was there for more than a week before she passed away," Dr Almeida said.

After the deaths of an 85 year old male from Morlem and a 58 year old male from Kharewada in Fatorda, the woman is the third patient to die to COVID-19 in six days. She was on non-invasive ventilator (NIV).