Bengaluru: Karnataka on Thursday registered India’s first coronavirus death after medical tests proved that the 76-year-old man from Kalaburgi died of the disease.
“The 76-year-old man from Kalaburgi who passed away and was a suspected to be a COVID-19 patient has been confirmed for COVID-19,” tweeted state Health Minister B. Sriramulu late on Thursday night.
He said the health department has initiated the contact tracing and isolation measures.
The deceased returned to Kalaburgi on February 29 from the Middle East and passed away on Wednesday. He incidentally showed flu-like symptoms and was admitted to hospital on March 5.
However, his family members moved him to another hospital in Hyderabad on Tuesday, disobeying medical advice.
Karnataka Health Minister B. Sriramulu said the man was a coronavirus suspect after his death on Wednesday and confirmed the cause of death on Thursday.
Following his death in a private Hyderabad hospital, Karnataka health department’s Information, Education and Communication (IEC) special officer Suresh Shastri said Telangana government has also been informed of the development.
Karnataka Health Department’s joint director for Communicable Diseases said all the protocols are being followed with regard to the safe disposal of the man’s body.
