Patient Dies After Kin Unplug Ventilator To Switch On Cooler

Kota: A 40-year-old man died at a government hospital here after his family members allegedly unplugged the ventilator he was on to plug in an air cooler.

The deceased, who was suspected to be suffering from COVID-19, was admitted in the ICU at Maharao Bhim Singh (MBS) Hospital on June 13. His test report, however, came negative later.

Hospital authorities said a three-member committee will probe the incident, news agency PTI reported.

The man was shifted to an isolation ward on June 15 as a safety measure after another patient in the ICU tested positive for the disease.

Since it was very hot in the isolation ward, his family members bought an air cooler the same day. On finding no socket for the cooler, they allegedly unplugged the ventilator but almost half-an-hour later, the ventilator ran out of power.

They immediately informed doctors and medical staff, who administered CPR upon the patient, but he died.