Indian social worker dies of COVID-19 in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, May 4  A United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Indian social worker has died of the novel coronavirus in Abu Dhabi, it was reported.

Businessman PK Kareem Haji, 62, also a former president of Abu Dhabi Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) and an active community worker with the Indian Islamic Centre, the Sunni Centre, among others, died of complications from COVID-19 on April 30, Gulf News reported on Sunday citing the family as saying.

A native of Thiruvathra, Kerala, Haji was being treated at Abu Dhabi’s Burjeel Hospital.

He is said to have been at the hospital for nearly 10 days before succumbing to COVID-19.

Haji’s son, Mohammad Abdul Gafoor, confirmed his father died due to complications after contracting COVID-19.

“My father was a diabetic for 14-15 years,” he said.

“Two weeks ago he complained of fever, cough. He took a swab test and no sooner his result came positive, my father was shifted to Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi. His condition deteriorated unfortunately and the last two day he was put on ventilator,” the Gulf News quoted Gafoor as saying.

During the first week of April, Naseer Vatanapally, another well-known Indian social worker tested positive for the coronavirus in UAE.

He has since recovered and was back to doing social work.