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Delhi dad returned home last week after Covid treatment. Today his family buried him

Discharged from Delhi's LNJP Hospital after Covid treatment on 26 June, Shaji John tested positive again and died within days.

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New Delhi: Shaji John, a 56-year-old private firm employee in Bawana, Delhi, stopped going to work in January because of a kidney ailment. He had to visit the hospital twice a week for dialysis.

Towards the end of May, he started having breathing problems and was advised by doctors to get a Covid-19 test. When the result came back positive, John was admitted to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital (LNJP) on 3 June. He was discharged after he tested negative on 26 June and was sent back home to his wife and two daughters.

However, because of his kidney ailment, he still had to go for his dialysis procedure, for which he needed two Covid-negative test reports. When the family went to a private hospital for the test, he tested positive again.

John had to be readmitted at LNJP Hospital on 1 July, where his condition started deteriorating two days later. On 3 July, when his younger daughter Aliza called him around 11.45 pm, the doctor received the call and informed them that his condition was critical.

“The doctor told us he is having breathing problems, we will carry out dialysis tomorrow morning,” Aliza told ThePrint.

About half-an-hour later, Aliza got a call from her father, who said he was having trouble breathing. “I told him, please do not worry, pray and sleep,” she said. “The next morning, we were informed that my father had passed away.”

ThePrint’s Praveen Jain and Manisha Mondal went to John’s funeral at the Alpha Omega Christian Welfare Cemetery in Mongolpuri, the only Christian burial ground designated for Covid patients in the national capital.

The burial ground was ready for the coffin before the arrival of the body at the Alpha Omega Christian Welfare Cemetery | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint
Wreaths lie beside the pit dug for John’s burial at the Alpha Omega Christian Welfare Cemetery | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint
The body was taken out and kept in a coffin at the cemetery, which is a Covid-designated burial ground | Praveen Jain | ThePrint
John is transferred to a coffin, his final resting place | Praveen Jain | ThePrint
After the coffin with Shaji John's body was placed on a platform, a priest wearing a mask read from the Bible | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint
A priest offers prayers near John’s body before his burial | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint
A small ceremony with readings from the Bible took place before the coffin was lowered into the ground | Praveen Jain | ThePrint
A small ceremony with readings from the Bible takes place before the coffin is lowered into the ground | Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Shaji John is survived by his wife and two daughters. From left to right: Aliza Shaji (John's younger daughter), Sheryl Shaji (his widow) and Angel Shaji (his elder daughter) | Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Shaji John is survived by his wife and two daughters. From left to right: Aliza Shaji (John’s younger daughter), Sheryl Shaji (his widow) and Angel Shaji (his elder daughter) | Praveen Jain | ThePrint
The heartbroken family looked on at the coffin where Shaji John's body was kept | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint
The heartbroken family looks on at John’s coffin | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint
Shaji John's widow and daughters are still coming to grips with how he died despite being sent home after his Covid treatment | Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Aliza was the last person John spoke to before his death | Praveen Jain | ThePrint
The coffin was lowered into the burial spot. The Mongolpuri cemetery, a designated Covid burial ground, has seen 19 burials so far | Praveen Jain | ThePrint
The coffin is lowered into the ground. The Mongolpuri cemetery, a designated Covid burial ground, has seen 19 burials so far | Praveen Jain | ThePrint
After the coffin was put in the grave, the priest performed the final rituals | Praveen Jain | ThePrint
After the coffin is lowered into the grave, the priest performs the final rituals | Praveen Jain | ThePrint
After the completion of the ceremony, the family grieved while the ground was levelled | Praveen Jain | ThePrint
After the completion of the ceremony, the ground is levelled over John’s grave | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Condolences to the family. May John’s soul RIP.

    What is The Print trying to convey here?
    Pathetic reporting /journalism. Very disappointed with The Print.

  2. Such sad reports would be more informative if the following are also provided.
    1) Sources of Corona infections – first time and second time. Has he got the infection during dialysis process in the hospital or from family members?
    2) The reason of death. Is it due to Corona or delay in dialysis?
    3) Is any other member of the family infected by Corona?

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