Indian-origin cardiac surgeon Jitendra Kumar Rathod has died due to the novel coronavirus in Cardiff in the United Kingdom. 58-year-old Rathod had tested positive for COVID-19 and died at a hospital in the UK, where a number of medics have lost their lives.
An associate specialist in cardio-thoracic surgery at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW), Rathod was an "incredibly dedicated surgeon", said the National Health Service (NHS).
"Jitu had worked in the Department of Cardio-thoracic Surgery since the mid-1990s and came back to UHW in 2006 after a brief stint abroad," said the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board in a tribute.
"He was an incredibly dedicated surgeon who cared deeply for his patients. He was well-liked and greatly respected by one and all. He was a very compassionate and a wonderful human being," the tribute read.
Rathod is survived by his wife and two sons.
