Indian Divine Word Provincial dies of Covid-19 at 62

A provincial superior of the Society of Divine Word (SVD) – Eastern India died of Covid-19 on August 18. He was 62.

"Divine Word Father Petrus Kullu, India's Eastern Provincial Superior, passed away. Kindly pray for his departed soul. Details about the funeral will be given later," said Devine Word Father Victor Rodrigues, Vice Provincial Superior.

According to the source, Father Kullu had seasonal flu since August 12 (cough and cold like many others at the provincial house, Jharsuguda in the state of Odisha, eastern India) due to the weather change.

"We asked the doctors at St. Mary's Hospital, Jharsuguda, and got the medicines for the flu, as we always do," said Father Rodrigues.

But this time, the medication did not work well. He had a pneumonia attack and it made him all the sicker. Since he complained of breathlessness on August 16, he was admitted to St. Mary's Hospital, Jharsuguda.

After the initial tests at St. Mary's Hospital, it was found that he was suffering from acute pneumonia and chest congestion.

As his oxygen levels were dropping, they referred him to Vikash Hospital, Bargarh, Sambalpur, and was admitted there in the evening in the 24x7 emergency block. After all the tests on August 17, a team of doctors concluded that he is having Covid-19 symptoms (though the COVID test result was negative) due to which his lungs are already infected.

Father Kullu was shifted to a 24x7 COVID emergency block in the same hospital and was made to lie on the bed in a prone position with a high oxygen-in-flow mask (as his oxygen levels were dropping).

"Doctors were in no position to give us a complete update. They started COVID medication. The CT scan suggested that the infection level was 13 out of 25. If he does not improve, they will intubate him on a ventilator," said Father Rodrigues.

Despite all medical efforts, Father Kullu’s health condition deteriorated, and passed away.

He was born on August 10, 1960, and was ordained a priest on February 13, 1992. 

At least 570 Catholic priests and nuns died in India due to COVID-19, according to Father Suresh Mathew, editor of Indian Currents magazine. 

The report cited data compiled by the church-run Indian Currents magazine, which listed 304 priests and 266 who succumbed to the disease as of August 18,  2022.