India reports third coronavirus death after 64-year-old dies in Mumbai

Mumbai, Mar 17: India reported third coronavirus death on Tuesday, 17 March, after a 64-year-old man, who was tested positive in Maharashtra, passed away at Kasturba Hospital, ANI reported.

The deceased had a travel history to Dubai and was admitted to civic-run Kasturba Hospital, was suffering from other health issues as well.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi said,"The patient had hypertension and severe pneumonia. Suddenly, his heart rate went very high before he died," he said.

Pardeshi clarified that it would be incorrect to say that the deceased died solely because of COVID-19 infection.

The deceased was a resident of suburban Ghatkopar and he had a travel history to Dubai. He was first admitted in Hinduja hospital in the city on March 13, before shifted to Kasturba Hospital the next day.

According to sources, some of the close relatives of the man and staff at the Hinduja hospital had been isolated earlier.

At 38, Maharashtra has reported the maximum number of COVID-19 cases in the country.

The development comes after a 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who returned from Saudi Arabia died on Tuesday last, a 68-year-old woman in Delhi who had tested positive for coronavirus passed away at the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital on Friday night.

The total number of positive cases in India rose to 125 on Tuesday, including both Indian and foreign nationals, according to Health Ministry. The cases include 22 foreign nationals and two persons who died in Delhi and Karnataka.

Delhi has so far reported seven positive cases while Uttar Pradesh has recorded 13 cases including one foreigner.

Karnataka has 8 coronavirus patients while Maharashtra 39 including 3 foreigners. Ladakh has reported four cases while Jammu and Kashmir three. Telangana has reported four cases. Rajasthan has also reported four cases including that of two foreigners. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab have reported one case each. Odhisha reported its first case on Monday.

In Haryana all the fourteen infected with the virus are foreigners while Uttarakhand has reported one case. Kerala has recorded 24 cases including two foreign nationals. The number also includes three patients who were discharged last month after they recovered from the contagious infection with flu-like symptoms.

According to the ministry's data, 13 people have been discharged so far, including the three Kerala patients. Two persons infected with the virus have died so far.

Amid rising coronavirus cases in India, the government has said no community transmission of the virus has been observed and there have only been a few cases of local transmission so far.

With the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring COVID-19 a pandemic, a health ministry official said over 52 000 people who had come in contact with the 125 positive cases have been identified through contact tracing and were under vigorous surveillance. He said all essential facilities like community surveillance, quarantine, isolation wards, adequate personal protective equipment (PPEs), trained manpower, rapid response teams are being strengthened further in all states and union territories.

With the positive cases of COVID-19 showing an increase, the government has proposed a set of social distancing measures to be in force till March 31. "Travel of passengers from member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and United Kingdom to India is prohibited with effect from 18th March 2020," Lav Aggarwal, the Joint Secretary in the ministry said on Monday.

"No airline shall board a passenger from these nations to India with effect from 1200 GMT on 18th March 2020. The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure," he had said. Both these instructions are temporary measures and shall be in force till March 31 2020 and will be reviewed subsequently, he had said.