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Indian-origin cardiac surgeon dies in UK from coronavirus

Jitendra Kumar Rathod died at a hospital in Cardiff in the UK after testing positive for COVID-19.

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Dr Jitendra Kumar Rathod
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With a rising number of doctors and nurses contracting the novel coronavirus in the United Kingdom as they treat the COVID-19 patients, there are several casualties in the community. A number of doctors, including a highly-respected Indian origin surgeon, have died in the UK after testing positive for the virus. 

Dr Jitendra Kumar Rathod, Associate Specialist in cardio-thoracic surgery at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW), died at a hospital in Cardiff in the UK after testing positive for COVID-19. 

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said he died in the general intensive care ward at the hospital.

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board paid a tribute to the doctor and said the 58-year-old "Jitu" will be missed greatly after he passed away on Monday.

Rathod had studied for his medical degree in India. Rathod is survived by his wife and two sons.

The board said he had worked in the department of cardio-thoracic surgery since the mid 1990s and had a brief stint abroad before returning in 2006.

"He was an incredibly dedicated surgeon who cared deeply for his patients. He was well-liked and greatly respected by one and all. He was a very compassionate and a wonderful human being," it said. 

"I'd like to extend our deepest sympathies to Jitendra's family, his wife and his two sons," Richards said. "We've lost a dearly loved colleague here within Cardiff and Vale [health board], but they've lost a father and husband and that must be quite devastating for them."

"He was a great surgeon who really provided support to his colleagues as well. Over the course of the last couple of days, I've had lots of texts and lots of messages from our staff, telling me how loved he was and how people are going to really miss him," he was quoted as saying by BBC.

board's chief executive, Len Richards, said he was a "great" surgeon who would be missed by his colleagues.

 

Indian-origin doctors and health workers are at the forefront of the battle against global coronavirus pandemic in several countries. In countries like US and UK, where a large number of Indian citizens and persons of Indian origin reside, the number is much higher. 

In the UK, where over 6,000 people lost their lives due to the pandemic, the list of affected doctors and medical staff is also long. A doctor who specialised in treating the elderly has died after testing positive for COVID-19, BBC reported on Tuesday. 

Dr Anton Sebastianpillai, a person with Sri Lankan roots who was in his 70s, died on Saturday, four days after being admitted to Kingston Hospital.

The number of coronavirus cases worldwide has reached 14.3 lakh with more than 82,000 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker. The United States has recorded 398,785 cases and 12,893 deaths. In Italy, 17,127 people have lost their lives with 135,586 recorded cases. The death toll in Spain is 14,045 with 141,942cases. 

France has the fourth-highest death toll at 10,342 and over 110,000 cases. The death toll in the United Kingdom and Iran reached 6,171 and 3,872, respectively. 

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