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First Lankan to die of Covid-19 overseas faced language difficulty to understand health advice
View(s):A 59-year-old Sri Lankan national died in Switzerland this week while on a two week long self-quarantine after testing positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
This would be the first death of a Sri Lankan national in a foreign soil due to the global pandemic.
The Sri Lanka Embassy in Berlin informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the Swiss authorities had confirmed that the Sri Lankan national who held residence permit died on March 25 in Jona, St. Gallen.
The victim was identified as Sathasivam Loganathan, a native of Punkuduthivu of Jaffna. He is survived by his wife and two daughters who reside in Jaffna.
According to a family member, Mr Loganathan was a diabetic and living alone. He worked at a restaurant in Jona.
Early this month, he developed mild symptoms for COVID-19 following his recent visit to Zurich. After he notified the hospital authorities, he was tested positive for COVID-19 and instructed to undergo self-quarantine in his annex room, located on the upstairs of the restaurant. On Wednesday, when his neighbour went to his room to provide meals, he noticed the door was locked and no response. Later, police found him dead.
Family members here and in Switzerland lamented that his poor language proficiency could have caused him difficulties in accessing medical facilities.
His relatives were not allowed to pay last respects for their loved one or view the remains as Swiss authorities cremated the body within 24 hours. A family member said that they were able to see his final remains through an image shared on a messaging application by a local hospital staff. The family back in home is trying to get his ashes to conduct funeral rights, according to their traditional beliefs.