A 14-year-old girl with kidney disease and a 59-year-old woman battling cancer died at the BMC-run KEM Hospital in Parel. Both patients tested positive for Covid-19 after their deaths, but hospital authorities clarified that the virus was not the cause of death in either case.
Primary Causes: Kidney Failure and Sepsis
Dr. Mohan Desai, medical superintendent of KEM Hospital, confirmed that the teenage girl suffered from nephrotic syndrome and died due to kidney failure. Meanwhile, the older woman succumbed to sepsis. “These deaths were unrelated to Covid-19,” emphasized Dr. Sandesh Parelkar, acting dean of the hospital. “There is no reason for public panic. Covid-19 no longer produces severe symptoms like it did during the pandemic’s peak.”
Covid-19 Cases Mild and Rare, Say Hospital Officials
Over the last two months, KEM Hospital has recorded 15 Covid-19 cases—all presenting mild, flu-like symptoms. All patients have since recovered without complications. “Viruses tend to become endemic and lose their severity over time,” explained Dr. Pratibha Singhal, associate professor in the pulmonology department. “We’ve continued seeing occasional Covid-19 cases over the past two to three years. These patients typically recover well unless they have serious comorbidities—and even then, complications have become rare.”
Seasonal Spike in Viral Infections
Dr. Singhal also noted a slight increase in cases recently, although numbers remain low. “We’re currently seeing one or two Covid-19 cases every couple of weeks. May and June are peak months for viral infections in general,” she said.
Community Cases Remain Mild
Pulmonologist Dr. Chetan Jain reported seeing three to four RT-PCR Covid-positive patients in the past two weeks across Vikhroli, Ghatkopar, and Kurla. “All of them had mild symptoms—low-grade fever, no breathlessness, and no lung involvement,” he said. “Three patients were in their 20s, one in their 40s. All have fully recovered.”
Bottom Line: No Cause for Concern
As reported by timesofindia.indiatimes.com, experts across departments agree that while isolated Covid-19 cases are still emerging, they are typically mild and manageable. The recent posthumous cases at KEM Hospital reflect this trend and should not trigger public concern.