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Karnataka minister fact-checks claims about 1st coronavirus death, suspends official
The dead man had returned to Kalaburgi on February 29 and was admitted to hospital for flu-like symptoms on March 5. His family had moved him to a hospital in Hyderabad against medical advice.
The death of a 76-year-old man who had recently returned from Saudi Arabia was not linked to coronavirus, Karnataka Minister B Sriramulu said on Wednesday. The minister’s clarification came minutes after the health department rebutted unconfirmed reports linking the man’s death to coronavirus, or Covid-19.
Sriramulu told reporters that the man, whose condition had deteriorated shortly after his return to the country, was suffering from pneumonia, hypertension and asthma. The government is awaiting the results of the coronavirus tests from the National Institute of Virology, Bengaluru, the minister said.
He is reported to have died last night in an ambulance while being moved between Karnataka and neighbouring Telangana.
The dead man had returned to Kalaburgi on February 29 and was admitted to hospital for flu-like symptoms on March 5. His family had moved him to a hospital in Hyderabad against medical advice.
Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu said the old man was only a suspected case of coronavirus, not confirmed. “The district health department has taken some precautions for the funeral of the deceased. This should not create any unnecessary confusion and fear,” said Sriramulu, according to news agency IANS.
Sriramulu has, however, ordered suspension of the health officer of Kalburgi district 500 km from Bengaluru on the charge that he had revealed details about the patient including his name.
The top virology institute has confirmed 60 cases of novel coronavirus in the country, with two fresh positive cases - one each from Delhi and Rajasthan - being reported.
The figure includes five positive cases reported in Delhi and nine persons who were diagnosed with the infection in Uttar Pradesh till Wednesday morning. The total number of 60 confirmed cases includes 16 Italians, the health ministry said on Thursday.
