Pune: Eight COVID-19 patients die; death toll reaches 16

Eight coronavirus patients died in Pune since Tuesday night, taking the COVID-19 death toll in the district to 16, senior officials said here on Wednesday.

Five of these patients died at the state-run Sassoon General Hospital and one at the civic-run Naidu Hospital. Two others died at different private hospitals, including Noble Hospital, said Pune Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad.

A 44-year-old man, who was on ventilator support and also suffering from severe diabetes, died at Naidu Hospital early Wednesday morning. He had been admitted to the hospital on April 4.

On Tuesday night, he found it difficult to breath and was put on ventilator support. He died in the morning following renal failure, Gaikwad said.

At the government-run Sassoon Hospital, a 54-year-old coronavirus patient died.

"After his swab test came out positive, he was referred to Sassoon on Tuesday night. He had diabetes along with pneumonia and died in the wee hours of Wednesday," said Divisional Commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar.

A 73-year-old man died at Noble Hospital. "He was admitted to the hospital on April 2. He was critical for last two days. He succumbed on Wednesday morning. He also had hypertension and diabetes," Mhaisekar said.

Later in the day, one person died at the Sassoon Hospital, while another one succumbed to the infection and other ailments at a private hospital, health officials said.

With this, total eight deaths were reported on Wednesday alone, they said.

Majority of these victims had some or other co- morbidity (existing health issue), the officials said.