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India reports first coronavirus death in Karnataka, total infected persons 78

India reports first coronavirus death in Karnataka, total infected persons 78
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New Delhi: Health officials in Karnataka reported the country’s first COVID-19 death late on March 12 after samples of a 76-year-old man, who was a suspected COVID-19 patient and passed away on March 10 night, tested positive for the disease. The patient from Kalaburgi also had co-morbidities such as asthma, hypertension and diabetes.

He had returned from Saudi Arabia on February 29. According to reports, he fell ill soon after and was admitted to a private hospital and later shifted to the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS). His throat swab was sent to check for COVID-19 infection.

Despite efforts by the District Health Official to convince his family that he be shifted to the GIMS isolation ward, he was transferred to a private hospital in Hyderabad. Later, he was discharged from the hospital and was being brought back to Kalaburgi when he died en route.

The Union Health Ministry confirmed the COVID-19 death in a late night statement.

Karnataka Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey, who confirmed that the patient’s samples tested positive for COVID-19, said contact tracing, isolation and other measures as per protocol are being carried out. The government of Telangana has also been informed.

Earlier in the day, the Union Health Ministry said the number of patients in the country has risen to 74, with fresh cases reported from Maharashtra, Delhi, Ladakh, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, as well as one foreign national. India is still seeing local transmission, the Ministry said.

The rise in numbers came a day after the World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.

Stating that India is still seeing local transmission, the Health Ministry said: “We have to remember that while there is no need for panic we are dealing with an evolving situation. Currently we have 1,500 contacts of the 74 positive cases currently being monitored,” Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry Lav Agarwal told reporters at a press conference on March 12.

However, reports compiled from various states show that total number of infected persons in India has touched 78. (with agencies inputs)  


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