Kerala

Mangaluru

Karnataka

COVID-19

Kasaragod district

Karnataka's blockade forambulances heading forhospitals with critically-ill patients has cost more lives. Two more critically-ill patients, according to a report, died on Monday afterdenied entry to Keralites into the neighbouring state, amid thescare.63-year-old Ayesha, a heart patient, living with her daughter indeveloped chest pain on Monday evening. Her daughter arranged for a vehicle and took her to a private hospital in Uppala where the doctors advised her to be taken to Mangaluru.She died in the car at Hosangadi. Her kin claim that her life could have been saved if she was directly taken to the Mangaluru hospital. Since, they added, Karnataka police are blocking vehicles from Kerala, they decided against going there first.In another incident, a 50-year-old kidney patient named Madhava was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Kumbla. The doctors there referred him to a hospital in Mangaluru. Karnataka police stopped the ambulance at Thalappady and he died on the way back in the ambulance, say sources.Last week, an ambulance carrying a critically-ill patient from Kasaragod to Mangaluru was blocked by Karnataka police and the local people, resulting in the death of a 75-year-old Pathunjhi. She was apparently suffering from renal-related complications. Since her condition became worse on Saturday, an ambulance carrying her headed for a hospital in Mangaluru, the nearest city with well-equipped hospitals.Unfortunately, at Thalappady border check post, the Karnataka police stopped the ambulance and refused to permit the ambulance into the state. The police failed to heed even after health officials intervened. The ambulance driver tried to take the patient to another town in Karnataka but en route, the ambulance was again stopped by the police and local people, sources said.The ambulance with the patient finally returned to Kasaragod where the patient succumbed in the small hours of Sunday.Sources say that a 60-year-old man suffering from breathing problems died of a heart attack on Thursday night (last week) after the attempt by his kin to take him to Deralkatte medical college went in vain as the Karnataka police refused entry into Karnataka.