Journalist with COVID-19 symptoms dies

A journalist died at a Dhaka hospital on Tuesday night from what doctors believe was coronavirus infection.

Homayuan Kabir Khokon, the city editor and chief reporter of The Daily Shomoyer Alo, was admitted to the Regent Hospital in Uttara with respiratory problems and headache, symptoms similar to COVID-19.

Khokon died around 10:15pm, an hour within admittance, the hospital’s Managing Director Md Shahed said.

“He was already in a critical condition,” Shahed added. “We suspect coronavirus infections, but he died before we could detect the disease.”

Preparations were under way to transport the body by the same ambulance that brought Khokon to the hospital, the official said.

Hailing from Cumilla’s Muradnagar, Khokon left behind his wife, two daughters and a son.

Shomoyer Alo Senior Reporter Habib Rahman told bdnews24.com that Khokon had been working from home for 15 days. 

“His respiratory distress and headache increased in the morning [Tuesday]. Later he was taken to the hospital by an ambulance of the Dhaka Reporters Unity,” Habib said.

Khokon had also worked in the Daily Manab Zamin, Doinik Amader Shomoy, and some other publications.