Aarif Khan, a frontline COVID-19 warrior, died of coronavirus on Saturday.
Highlights
- The ambulance driver was working with the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sewa Dal
- Aarif Khan used to carry bodies of Covid patients in his ambulance
- He used to spend hours away from his own family to help others
An ambulance driver in Delhi, who used to to transport bodies of coronavirus patients to funeral grounds, has died after he contracted the virus.
Working with the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sewa Dal, a non-government organisation, Aarif Khan used to provide ambulance services to COVID-19 patients in Delhi and nearby areas.
He used to spend hours away from his family to help those suffering with COVID-19 and their families.
The frontline warrior died of coronavirus on Saturday.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu conveyed his condolences to the family members of the driver. "My condolences to the bereaved family members of ambulance driver, Aarif Khan of Delhi. He rendered selfless service by ferrying close to 200 bodies of COVID-19 patients for their last rites. It is saddening to learn that he succumbed to the Coronavirus," Mr Naidu wrote on Twitter.
The Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sewa Dal helps provide funeral services for those who have died of the virus.
India's coronavirus cases have surged past the 70-lakh mark, taking it ever closer to overtaking the United States as the world's most infected country. With 74,383 new infections, India's Covid tally now stands at 70,53,806. In the 24-hour period, India reported 918 deaths linked to the virus, taking the total number of fatalities to 1,08,334 today.
Delhi has reported a total of 3,06,559 cases till Saturday, out of which 22,007 are active patients while 2,78,812 patients have been discharged.
The fatality rate -- based on the last 10 days - stands at 1.41 per cent whereas the cumulative fatality rate stands at 1.87 per cent in Delhi.
The National Centre for Disease Control has warned that the national capital may witness 15,000 daily cases during winter.