Bangladesh: Ex-health minister dies after getting virus

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA)

Bangladesh’s former Health Minister Mohammed Nasim died on Saturday of massive cardiac arrest in the capital Dhaka, where he had tested positive for coronavirus.

On Saturday Nasim, 72 and still a ruling party lawmaker, suffered a massive cardiac arrest and breathed his last, the hospital which treated him told the media.

The veteran politician tested positive for the virus and went into a deep coma after brain surgery and fought for his life for some two weeks in intensive care, the team that treated him said earlier.

He later tested negative during his treatment, it added.

A Foreign Ministry statement expressed deep mourning and condolences, and the president and prime minister also expressed grief at Nasim’s death.

He served as health minister for five years until 2019.

Total fatalities from the virus now stand at 1,095, while infections have topped 81,523.