The Aligarh District Administration on April 21 suspended a doctor at Aligarh Muslim University's (AMU) Jawaharlal Lal Nehru Medical College for alleged medical negligence, following the first death due to the novel coronavirus disease in the district.

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The deceased identified as Merajuddin was a 55-year-old man who was admitted to the hospital on April 19 evening with breathing problems. First, he was shifted to the isolation ward on April 19 and then later placed on a ventilator. The medical college did not inform the district administration and Merajuddin was tested positive for the disease the next day. Speaking about the case, Aligarh District Magistrate Chandra Bhushan said that the district health department alleged that the hospital authorities did not inform about the case in time, and the delay could lead to the exposure of several people.

Moreover, two corona positive cases were also detected in the district on April 21.

"We summoned the doctor as he hid the patient's information from us. On the advice of a nursing home, Merajuddin even went to get an x-ray in another nursing home. Strict action is being taken against both nursing homes. Moreover, the AMU professor Dr Anjum Chugtai has been suspended for not adhering the COVID-19 protocol," he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Arvind Kumar, Aligarh SP crime, said that a case has also been filed against Merajuddin's family, under lockdown violation and Pandemic Act. At present, all family members of Merajuddin has been kept under quarantine as a precautionary measure against COVID-19 and their samples will be collected and sent for virus testing, Kumar said.