VIJAYAWADA: “He would have survived if I didn’t get him admitted here,” an inconsolable K Satyavathi wailed on seeing her brother’s body. “It was I who had advised that he be treated here,” the woman sobbed.Her brother, Maddali Ramesh, a United India Insurance officer and resident of Moghalarajauram in Vijayawada, tested positive for coronavirus a week ago and was brought to Ramesh Hospitals and shifted to the ill-fated Swarna Palace where he lost his life to the fire early on Sunday.
“He struggled hard to ensure his children are successful. But just as his dreams were about to come true — when his children reached a good position — he left us,” she lamented.Satyavathi, like several others, found it hard to locate the victims of the mishap as officials didn’t tell them where the Covid-19 patients were shifted from Swarna Palace.
Soon after hearing about the fire on TV, Satyavathi rushed to the hotel. She was told the patients were shifted to various hospitals, including Ramesh Hospitals. She went there, and to other hospitals to find her brother, but as her options ran out, she headed to the GGH mortuary. It was there that she found her brother’s body in an ambulance. The mortuary witnessed heart-rending scenes as people went there to identify the bodies of their relatives.
Another tragic tale was that of a pastor couple - Sabbithi Ratna Abraham and Rajakumari - from Jaggaiahpet in Krishna district. They tested positive a few days ago and were admitted to Ramesh Hospitals. Later, they were lodged at Swarna Palace. Abraham subsequently tested negative for the virus, but decided to stay on at the hotel for a few more days, waiting for his wife to recover.“We were planning a grand welcome for them, but their deaths came as a shock,” Abraham’s relatives said. Abraham was a pastor at a church in Jaggaiahpet of Krishna district.
It was fate that made a son and mother - Duddu Venkata Narasimha Pavan Kumar, 30, and Duddu Venkata Jayalaxmi, 48 -from Kandukur of Prakasam district get themselves admitted to Ramesh Hospitals.
Jayalaxmi tested positive for the virus, and as she showed symptoms of Covid-19, her relatives suggested that she be treated at Ramesh Hospitals. Pavan took her there, and being a primary contact of the infectee, he too was tested. His results returned positive and he too was admitted to the same hospital, relatives said.
Meanwhile, a host of ministers, including Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas, Mekathoti Sucharitha, Vellampalli Srinivas, Perni Venkataramaiah, Director General of Police D Gautam Sawang and Vijayawada Commissioner of Police B Sreenivasulu visited Swarna Palace and took stock of the situation early in the day.Sources from Ramesh Hospitals said the hotel management was responsible for the safety of the patients.
Ministers visit mishap site
A host of ministers, including Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas, Mekathoti Sucharitha, Vellampalli Srinivas, Perni Venkataramaiah and Director General of Police D Gautam Sawang visited Swarna Palace