COVID-19 appears to be making a comeback in parts of the world, and Mumbai may be seeing early signs of a resurgence. Amid rising concerns, two recent deaths at Mumbai’s KEM Hospital have sparked a political and public health controversy. Initially, hospital authorities claimed that the deaths were unrelated to COVID. However, former Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar and Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Ajay Choudhari challenged this claim by presenting official documents showing that both deceased patients had tested positive for the virus.
One of the deceased was a 58-year-old woman who was admitted to KEM Hospital on May 14 after experiencing breathing difficulties. She passed away on the morning of May 18. The second case involved a 13-year-old girl who died a few days earlier. Although reports indicated both had contracted COVID-19, the hospital initially denied the connection. Following their visit to the hospital administration, Pednekar and Choudhari revealed evidence confirming that both patients were COVID-positive. This forced the hospital to revise its earlier statement.
KEM Hospital’s Statement
According to News18, KEM Hospital later acknowledged that both patients had shown symptoms of COVID-19 and tested positive. However, the administration emphasized that one of the patients had chronic kidney disease while the other was battling cancer—suggesting that underlying health issues played a role in the fatalities.
Statement by Kishori Pednekar
“Eight individuals showing COVID symptoms have been transferred to Seven Hills Hospital for treatment. The hospital administration has now admitted that the two patients who died had tested positive for COVID-19. Their bodies were not handed over to family members but were cremated following COVID protocols. Initially, the hospital was evasive, but we had to confront them with the facts,” said Pednekar.