Gangtok:
Sikkim on Sunday reported its first coronavirus death with an elderly man succumbing to the disease at a state-run hospital, a health department official said. The 74-year-old resident of Rongli Sub-Division in East Sikkim died this morning due to COVID-19.
He was also suffering from diabetes and hypertension, Director General-cum-Secretary, Health, Pempa T Bhutia said. He was brought to Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial (STNM) hospital on Saturday night after testing positive for the disease through rapid antigen kit and later shifted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU). He succumbed to the disease Sunday morning, the official said.
The victim’s last rites will be performed as per the Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) laid down by the Gangtok Municipal Corporation (GMC), he said. Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang also mourned the demise of the victim, who was a former government high school headmaster. Tamang urged the people to remain calm and continue to follow the guidelines to contain COVID-19. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 tally in Sikkim rose to 545 with 46 persons testing positive in the past 24 hours, the official said.
South District reported the maximum of 31 positive cases followed by 14 in East Sikkim and one in West Sikkim. While 148 patients have recovered from the disease, the number of active patients stood at 397, Bhutia said.
Of the total 545 COVID-19 cases, 380 have been reported from East Sikkim followed by 123 in South Sikkim, 41 in West Sikkim and one in North Sikkim. Alarmed by the surge in COVID-19 cases in Sikkim, the state government extended the lockdown till August 1, according to a notification issued by Chief Secretary S C Gupta.
All educational institutions in Sikkim shall remain close till August 31, Education Minister Kunga Nima Lepcha said.
