Woman claims her virus positive husband missing from

A woman here has alleged that her COVID-19 positive husband was missing from hospital, but health authorities on Thursday clarified that the man had died during treatment and his cremation was performed by government staff as the family was in hospital after testing positive.

The woman reportedly informed state Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao through a tweet that her husband has gone missing from the state-run Gandhi hospital.

State Health Minister E Rajender, who responded on the issue, told reporters on Thursday that the whole family was in hospital after testing positive for COVID-19 and that the news of the man's death could not be conveyed as per the advice of the well-wishers of the family.

The 42-year-old man, who was suffering from pneumonia, was admitted to hospital on April 30 and put on ventilator but he died on May one.

The family's well-wishers felt that the man's wife might suffer a shock if the news of the death was conveyed to her, he said.

The man's father had died on April 30 after being admitted to hospital for COVID-19 treatment, official sources said.

Though information about the man's death could not be conveyed to the family at that moment, it was informed to police and municipal administration departments, Rajender said.

As the entire family was in hospital, the cremation was done by municipal personnel, official sources said.

Observing that the doctors are treating patients risking their lives, Rajender said it is not good to describe the man as having gone "missing" from the hospital.

He said shocking news like deaths are not immediately conveyed tofamily members in the interest of their well-being.

Even in developed countries like the US, the funeral was performed by government personnel during the COVID-19 outbreak when family members were not in a position to perform it, he added.