'Our family is broken': COVID-19 claims 24-year-old twins hours apart

The second wave of coronavirus has hit the country hard, and devastated countless families. Among them is the Gregory family of Meerut, who lost twin sons Joefred and Ralfred to coronavirus. The twins had turned 24 a day before they were tested positive for the virus.

"Our family is broken. We are only three in the family now," lamented the twins' father Gregory Rafael, adding that his sons Joefred Varghese Gregory and Ralfred George Gregory died due to Covid.

Joefred and Ralfred were both engineers. They tested positive a day after they turned 24 years on April 23. The twins had tested negative on May 10. However, Joefred faced breathing issues on May 13 and passed away the same night around 11pm, while Ralfred's condition deteriorated the same day and he passed away on May 14.

The twins were working from home when they contracted the virus. The duo did almost everything together -- they both were computer engineers and both had jobs in Hyderabad. They contracted the virus on the same day too. Gregory Rafael told Times of India that whatever happened to one would happen to the other too. That's how they knew that since Joefred had died of COVID-19, Ralfred was unlikely to survive.

The parents -- both teachers at St Thomas School in Meerut -- said even though Joefred and Ralfred recovered from coronavirus, they infection had spread to their lungs that worsened their condition. The brothers were admitted to Anand Hospital on May 1.

The heartbroken parents mourned the death of their sons. Their eldest son, Nelfred, has also tested positive for Covid-19.

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Also read: COVID-19 second wave: India loses 244 doctors so far; Bihar, UP, Delhi report most casualties