COVID19 In India- Punjab ACP Anil Kohli Dies Of Coronavirus

Chandigarh: Assistant Commissioner of Police (North) Anil Kohli, who was posted in Ludhiana city, on Saturday succumbed to coronavirus, taking the virus toll to 16 in Punjab.

The 52-year-old officer was diagnosed positive on April 13. The officer was on a ventilator in a private hospital in Ludhiana since April 11, Civil Surgeon Rajesh Bagga told media.

In a first-of-its-kind clinical use of convalescent plasma therapy in the state, doctors on Saturday decided to try to cure him by using plasma of another cured young volunteer patient.

Doctors said he died due to multiple organ failure before the plasma therapy could be administered.

Read: Don’t Hike School Fees, Centre Tells Private Schools

This is the second COVID-19 death in Ludhiana in the past two days and the fifth since the pandemic struck.

Three of his close contacts, including his wife, have also tested positive.

"Sad to share that we lost Gurmail Singh Kanungo yesterday and ACP Anil Kohli in Ludhiana to COVID-19 today," the Chief Minister tweeted.

"In this moment of crisis, losing our Corona Warriors is a big loss for the state. I join their families in this time of grief. Rest assured Punjab will stand by them."

Also Read: Former CM Kumaraswamy Son’s Wedding Sparks Row Over Lockdown ‘Violation’

Describing his death as a personal loss, Director General of Police Dinkar Gupta said: "Our brother officer Anil Kohli, ACP Ludhiana, lost his battle against COVID-19 today afternoon. Anil served Punjab Police and the people of Punjab for over 30 years."

Furthermore, the total number of coronavirus cases in India on Saturday evening reached 14,792, including foreign nationals, with 12,289 active cases, the Union Health Ministry said.

The Health Ministry said in its daily update that 488 deaths have been reported from across the country so far, with the highest -- 201 -- getting reported from Maharashtra, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 69.

"A total of 2,014 patients have been cured and discharged," the ministry said.

Maharashtra remained the worst hit state with total number of positive cases rising to 3,323, followed by Delhi (1,707), Madhya Pradesh (1,355), Tamil Nadu (1,323) and Rajasthan (1,267), according to the Health Ministry data.

According to the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), a total of 3,72,123 samples from 3,54,969 individuals have been tested as on Saturday.

(IANS)