A 37-year-old COVID-19 patient ended his life reportedly jumping off the third floor of the Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) where he was being treated on Thursday. He allegedly took the extreme step out of fear and depression.
The deceased was identified as M. Venubabu, a resident of Gollalapalem in Bheemili-Mandal.
According to Arilova’s inspector Emmanuel Raju, the victim was admitted to VIMS on June 1. He was treated in the intensive care unit on the third floor of the hospital.
Police said a friend of Venubabu’s allegedly died of COVID-19 about 10 days ago. Since then he has been in a panic. He is said to have jumped out of a window around 7 a.m. on Thursday morning and ended his life.
This is the second case of a COVID-19 patient ending their life on VIMS in less than two weeks. On May 22, a 45-year-old man from Sujatha Nagar is said to have ended his life at VIMS in a similar manner.
It should be noted that this marks the sixth case of suspected suicide by a COVID-19 patient in the city since April this year. King George Hospital (KGH) reported three such incidents and a private hospital reported one.
Venubabu’s body was sent to the KGH for an autopsy and one case was recorded.