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Published 14:01 IST, April 27th 2020

Fact Check: Did a Pune-based doctor named Megha Vyas die due to the Coronavirus?

A recent viral social media message states that Dr Megha Vyas, a Pune-based doctor, died due to COVID-19. Republic World did a fact check on the rumour.

Reported by: Surabhi Sabat
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Claim: Doctor Megha Vyas from Pune died after testing positive for Coronavirus. 

Rating: False

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What is the rumour about?

  • After 50+ Indian doctors and healthcare workers tested positive for Coronavirus, recent news regarding another doctor from Pune purportedly succumbing to the Coronavirus was shared online.
  • A doctor allegedly named Megha Vyas from Pune was said to have succumbed to the Coronavirus infection while treating other COVID-19 patients.

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Who is spreading the rumour?

  • Social media forwards
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Image courtesy: Twitter

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Google Trends 

After an analysis of the Google Trends with respect to Doctor Megha Vyas's death due to Coronavirus, one can see that people have been hugely interested to know about the same. The maximum number of searches have been done on April 24, 2020. 

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Image courtesy: Google Trends 

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Republic World did a fact check 

  • A check on Pune doctor Megha Vyas's purported death due to Coronavirus and the claims were found to be False. 
  • It was found that the person referred to had, tragically passed away, though her name wasn't Megha Vyas, but was Megha Shrikant Sharma. This was confirmed by her stricken husband on social media. He posted that the deceased is NOT a doctor, and she was NOT infected with coronavirus before her death. 
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Image courtesy: Twitter

  • A doctor's note was also posted on social media, shared by the deceased's husband Shrikant Sharma. The note also stated that she was not a doctor and was NOT infected with the coronavirus before her death. 
  • The note states that the lady suffered from urosepsis (an infection of the urinary tract), pneumonia, and MODS that is multiple organ failure and passed away on April 22, 2020. It also states that she tested negative for COVID-19.
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Image courtesy: Facebook

  • The doctor's note mentions the name, date and cause of death stating that the lady tested negative for Coronavirus infection. The lady, Mrs Megha Shrikant Sharma, who was admitted in Pune's Jehangir hospital, succumbed to complications due to urosepsis, pneumonia and MODS. 
  • After seeing the viral posts about his wife's tragic death, Mr Shrikant Sharma took to social media and replied on many posts stating that the rumour is not true, so everyone should remove it from their social media or else he will file a complaint against the people spreading such rumours. 

Disclaimer - Republic World urges its readers to stay cautious and verify news before taking any action on social media.

Is there any rumour you want Republic World to do a fact check on? Do you have facts about a rumour? Share your pictures or videos with Republic World on contact@republicworld.com or comment on this story itself. 

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14:01 IST, April 27th 2020