According to District Health and Family Welfare Department, India might have had its first death due to coronavirus. A 76-year-old man suspected to be infected with coronavirus died in Karnataka's Kalburgi. His samples have been sent to a lab and results are awaited, confirmed department officials.
The man has been identified as Mohammed Hussain Siddiqui, who had returned from a pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia on February 29 and headed home in Kalburgi, which is at a distance of about 500 km from state capital Bengaluru.
Reports state that his family had to admit him to Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences after he fell ill following his return. His throat swab was sent for testing to check for coronavirus infection. In the meantime, he was shifted to CARE hospital in Hyderabad and was on his way back from Hyderabad in an ambulance when he died.
Dr MA Jabbar, Kalburgi district health officer, confirmed the death. Dr Jabbar specifically stated that swab samples of the deceased have been sent to NIV, National Institute of Virology, for testing and results are awaited.
Coronavirus cases in India
India has about 62 confirmed cases of coronavirus with fresh cases reported from Delhi and Rajasthan. No deaths due to coronavirus have however been reported from India and if Siddiqui's sample tests positive then this will be the first coronavirus death reported from India.
Experts state that those who are most at risk due to any viral infection are elderly, pregnant women and children and people with underlying chronic ailments as their immunity is not as strong as others.
An ANI report states that Kalburgi Deputy Commissioner Sharat B said, "Symptomatic treatment was given to him when he had reported feeling unwell and later the family decided to shift to Hyderabad."
Sharat said that while on his way back from Hyderabad, Siddiqui died in the ambulance last night.
Coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan in China in December last year and since then there have been over 3000 deaths in China alone and many affected. The virus has spread to over 100 countries across the world with new cases being reported every day. The Government has issued advisories for international passengers and is spreading information through various platforms for avoiding the virus.
