UP: AMU’s former V-C's wife among 5 succumb to Covid-19 in 24 hours

AGRA: Five more people from Aligarh Muslim University, including the wife of former vice-chancellor, three non-teaching staff and a retired faculty member succumbed to Covid-19 within the past 24 hours. In one week, AMU has lost 12 people, including three faculty members, three non-teaching staff and six retired professors due to coronavirus or its related complications. Confirming five more deaths on Saturday, university spokesperson Rahat Abrar said former V-C late Dr Mahmood-ur-Rahman’s wife Afshan Rahman died due to Covid at Jamia Hamdard Medical College in Delhi. “Three non-teaching staff -- X-ray technician Shamim Ahmad (50), Sagheer Ahmad Khan (53), a senior technical assistant from AK Tibbiya College, and scientific officer Dr Israr Khan (60) from the Physics department -- succumbed to the infection on Saturday. Retired former chairman from the department of education, Prof Nabi Ahmad (68), also passed away today,” Abrar said. Principal of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC), Prof Shahif Ali Siddiqui, said at present around 10 former or working faculty members of the university and medical college are admitted for Covid treatment. “They are on oxygen therapy and their condition is stable,” he said. In view of the Covid pandemic situation, the vice chancellor, Prof Tariq Mansoor, has ordered to transfer 50 per cent of the junior residents and nursing staff of Dr Ajmal Khan Tibbiya College and Dr ZA Dental College to the AMU’s trauma centre from Saturday to manage the facility as many of the resident doctors are down with Covid-19. According to hospital management, though there is shortage of supply of oxygen, they are taking all steps to coordinate with district and other concerned authorities, so that there is uninterrupted supply of oxygen at the Trauma centre and JNMC.