Third Medic Died Of Pneumonia In Barysau

He died the day after he was hospitalized.

Uladzimir Fralou worked as a paramedic in an ambulance brigade in Barysau. On 18 May he was hospitalized with suspicion of a heart attack, and the next day he died in the intensive care unit. It turned out that the cause of death was pneumonia. The colleagues believe that the paramedic was ill with COVID-19, Radio Svaboda reports.

60-year-old Uladzimir Fralou worked at the emergency station in Barysau for over 20 years. At first as a driver, and in recent years - as an ambulance attendant. This was told by Uladzimir's friend, a doctor of the central district hospital in Barysau.

During the coronavirus epidemic, Uladzimir worked in a brigade that was transporting patients by ambulance. Those who had confirmed COVID-19 were not transported by his brigade. However, this does not exclude possible contact with those infected with coronavirus, the doctor from Barysau believes.

"Medics from such brigades sometimes take less care of their safety, as it is believed that they have less risk of getting into contact with patients with coronavirus, - the Barysau medic says. - But it's still dangerous".

Uladzimir fell ill on May 18, he says. The same day, he was hospitalized with suspicion of heart attack. The very same day, he was placed in the intensive care unit. The next day, the paramedic died.

The death of the paramedic has been confirmed by the emergency station management of the central district hospital in Barysau. According to the chief, Fralou died of a heart attack.

As it became known later, Uladzimir Fralou's death certificate states that the cause of death was respiratory syndrome, caused by double pneumonia. At that, colleagues believe that Uladzimir Fralou also had coronavirus.

"It is not known, whether he was tested at all, - an employee of hospital said. - In my opinion, it was coronavirus. It's a very high probability. People do not die the next day from ordinary pneumonia".

As proof that the paramedic might have had coronavirus, the doctor cites the fact that the autopsy of Uladzimir's body wasn't done in Barysau, but in the Minsk regional morgue. The dead who either died from coronavirus, or with suspicion of it, are usually taken there.

This is the third death of a medic in the central district hospital of Barysau during the coronavirus epidemic. On April 8, paramedic Vasil Lipinin died, and on May 16 - nurse Tatsiana Kavalionak. They both had confirmed coronavirus.

Two hospitals in Barysau district have been reoriented to treat patients with pneumonia and COVID-19 - the city hospital number 2 and the district hospital in the village of Loshnitsa. There are about 500 beds in total. Some patients are also sent to hospitals in Zhodzina and Krupki.