India registers first casualty from coronavirus in Karnataka

Bengaluru : A Karnataka man died on Thursday in north Karnataka's Kalaburagi district, he was tested positive to coronavirus or COVID-19, Health Minister B Sriramulu said. The man had come to India in February 29 and was screened at the airport, but he did not show any symptoms of coronavirus at that time.

"The 76-year-old man from Kalburgi who passed away and was a suspected COVID-19 patient has been confirmed for COVID-19. Contact tracing (of family members and others he came in contact with), isolation and other measures, as per protocol, are being carried out," Mr Sriramulu tweeted.

On March 5, he had visited a private hospital and was admitted next day due to fever and cough. He had other health issues as well, including asthma and hypertension. Three days later he was shifted to a hospital in Hyderabad, where his samples were sent for testing.

His family had discharged him from the hospital without waiting for the results of the report. As per instructions of Kalaburgi Deputy Commissioner, health officers tried to persuade them to admit the patient to an isolation ward at the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences.

The family refused and transferred him to another hospital, from where he was treated and discharged. He died while being brought back to the hospital in Gulbarga.

Meanwhile, fifth confirmed case of coronavirus has been found in Karnataka. All the infected people have been isolated at the hospital and their treatment is underway.

The newest patient - 26-year-old man who had returned from Greece - has been placed in isolation at a Bengaluru hospital, Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu said.

"Primary contacts (of the 26-year old man) have been traced and are asymptomatic. Home quarantine has been advised and follow-up is being done," he was quoted by news agency PTI.