Difficult to process the loss: Deceased doc's friend

New Delhi: Aamir Sohail knows he won't work with his friend-turned-colleague Anas Mujahid anymore. But he still can't believe he lost his mate to Covid-19 within hours of testing positive.

"It is extremely difficult for me to process the loss," said Sohail, a junior resident at the GTB Hospital here, talking about his friend Dr Anas Mujahid, who passed away early Sunday. Mujahid, the 26-year-old junior resident at the hospital, had tested positive for coronavirus Saturday around 8 pm. Doctors said he developed "intracranial hemorrhage" (bleeding within the skull, including the brain) and passed away within hours.

Sohail said he was with Mujahid when he took the coronavirus test. "We had gone to Mujahid's home for iftar. When we were on our way back to the hotel, where we were staying (for isolation purpose as they were on regular hospital duty), Mujahid said he was feeling feverish. The hospital was on our way, so we decided to visit the hospital for getting a Covid test done," Sohail told PTI.

Mujahid tested positive for the virus through the rapid antigen test, and as the doctor was writing the prescription, he suddenly collapsed, said Sohail. He was swiftly moved to the casualty emergency of the hospital, and a CT scan was done which showed clotting in his brain and he was put on a ventilator, Sohail added. But Mujahid couldn't make it.

"I still can't believe it," Sohail said. "We had been friends, roommates and batchmates at the University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS). We had joined in March.

It is extremely difficult for me to process the loss." Sohail, who had himself tested positive for the virus last month and had recovered, recalled his friend as a hardworking and helpful person. "His family is in shock. But we are in touch with them," said the doctor.