ACCORDING to news reports, Texas ice hockey coach, Tyler Amburgey, who was 29-year-old and in great physical condition, died of complications from Covid-19 recently. The hockey coach had fallen ill just three days earlier. He assumed he had common cold, which he usually contracted in late summer from going back and forth between cold ice rinks and the Texas heat. The young father experienced nausea the first night, then over the next two days had other symptoms ranging from sleeplessness to shortness of breath to body aches and migraines.

On the third day, when his daughter went for her swimming lessons, his wife checked him and found him unresponsive. The coach did not know he had Covid-19. He was tested positive after his death.

As was found later, in an effort to get some rest during his illness, the coach had taken a sleeping tablet. According to the medical examiner, the pill combined with coronavirus in slowing down heart rate, eventually causing it to stop. Had he not taken the pill, he could have been alive, assuming the virus’s assault was low.

Based on this unfortunate episode, Covid-19 patients better avoid taking sleeping pills.

F. H. Mughal
Karachi

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2020

Opinion

Editorial

Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.
Concerning measures
Updated 03 Nov, 2024

Concerning measures

The govt must seek political input and consensus on the changes it is seeking to make and be open about its intentions.
Short-lived relief?
03 Nov, 2024

Short-lived relief?

POLICYMAKERS must be jumping with joy. At the close of the first quarter of FY25, the budget posted a consolidated...
Brisk spread
03 Nov, 2024

Brisk spread

THE surge in polio cases has reached distressing levels with a tally of 45 last reported, after two cases emerged in...