14-Year-Old Succumbs to Multi-organ Failure at KGH

Visakhapatnam: A 14-year-old Mathurthi Abhiram from East Godavari district passed away on March 29 evening at KG Hospital in Visakhapatnam. Initial reports suggested COVID-19 as the cause of death, Dr D. Radhakrishnan, HoD at KGH, clarified that the cause is still under investigation.

The doctor stated that Abhiram was admitted to KGH on March 28 with a high fever that persisted for a week. Tests revealed he was positive for malaria and also suffering from jaundice. He was undergoing treatment for Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, which involved steroid medication.

On March 29, Abhiram's condition deteriorated further, with his vital signs dropping rapidly. A rapid antigen test for Covid-19 was conducted and came back positive. However, before the confirmatory RT-PCR test result was available, Abhiram succumbed to multi-organ failure in the evening.

Dr. Radhakrishnan emphasised that the official cause of death will be determined upon the result of the RT-PCR test. However, based on preliminary investigations, multi-organ failure is suspected to be the primary cause.

The news of Abhiram's death, initially reported as caused by Covid-19, has caused some concern among the public. This is the second such case in Visakhapatnam in recent months. In December 2023, a 51-year-old woman who tested positive for Covid-19 died. However, KGH officials clarified that her death was primarily due to multi-organ dysfunction syndrome and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), not solely due to COVID-19.

Dr. Suman Das, speaking to Deccan Chronicle, emphasised that co-existing health conditions are a major risk factor in such cases. People with heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, or blood pressure problems are more susceptible to complications after contracting Covid-19.

Dr Das also highlighted some common symptoms of post-COVID conditions, including fatigue, breathing difficulties, memory or sleep problems, persistent cough, chest pain, speech issues, muscle aches, and loss of taste or smell.