Bengaluru, Mar 13: India has registered the first confirmed case of death due to novel coronavirus. A 76-year-old man from Karnataka's Kalaburgi who passed away recently has been tested positive for Covid-19.
The doctors had suspected that the man had coronavirus, however, the test had not confirmed it.
In an official notification, a senior health official in Karnataka government Dr Suresh Shastri said that the lab test has confirmed that the deceased man had Covid-19.
"The 76-year-old man from Kalburgi who passed away and was a suspected COVID 19 patient has been confirmed for COVID 19. The necessary contact tracing, isolation and other measures as per protocol are being carried out. Telangana government has also been informed since he went to a private hospital there," Dr Suresh Shastri said.
The same information was also shared by Karnataka health minister B Sriramulu.
A senior Union health ministry official said in New Delhi that the death of the man had visited Saudi Arabia from January 29 to February 29. The official said the man had reached in Hyderabad on February 29 and went to Kalaburagi in Karnataka.
State Joint Director (Communicable Diseases) BG Prakash Kumar said all protocols were followed for disposal of the body.
"The body is disinfected completely and disposed of as per the Government of India guidelines," he added when asked to elaborate on the protocols.
He said the Telangana government has also been informed as the man had gone to a private hospital in Hyderabad earlier.
While announcing the death of the man on Tuesday, the state authorities had said the exact cause his death was being ascertained.
According to the Union health ministry official, "While he was asymptomatic on his return (from Saudi Arabia), he developed symptoms of fever and cough on 6th March. One private doctor visited him at his home and treated him there."
"On 9th March, the symptoms got aggravated and he was shifted to a private hospital in Kalaburagi. In this private hospital, he was provisionally diagnosed as 'mid-zone viral pneumonia' and 'suspected Covid-19'," the official said.
"The sample was collected on March 9... Without waiting for the test results, the attendees insisted and the patient was discharged against medical advice and the attendees took him to a private hospital in Hyderabad," the official said.
The patient was admitted to a private hospital in Hyderabad and treated. He died on Tuesday when he was being brought back to the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Kalaburagi.
Apart from the deceased, Karnataka has confirmed five other positive cases of the novel coronavirus. The fifth case, confirmed on Thursday is of a 26-year-old man who recently returned from Greece.
The patient has been admitted and isolated at a hospital and his condition is stable, a department media bulletin said.
The day also saw the education department declaring summer holidays for students from kindergarten to class six and study leave for higher classes in the city as a precautionary measure.
Comments
The NH 66 is very close to station here and the town is on opposite side. A limited height subway linking NH 66 and west side of Manjeshwar Railway station is a must for pedestrians. Foot Over Bridge will be of no use as it is difficult for people to climb the stairs especially for elders and women with kids on tow. Authorities should wake up. There is just a pathway connecting east and west sides of the station. If any train is staioned on the tracks waiting for signal or crossing people tend to cross under the waggons.
Its like suicide only. I saw many people doing the same for getting out from railway station.
Very Sad Rip to the departed souls, urgently we need bullet train to take more lifes
People trying for easy way by risking their life. RIP
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