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India has registered first death due to the deadly coronavirus pandemic in the country. The 76-year-old elderly in Karnataka's Kalaburagi who died recently has been confirmed positive for coronavirus. The man, who recently returned from Saudi Arabia, had died two days back. The virus has claimed over 4,000 lives across the world so far. The Telangana government has also been informed as the victim had also gone to a hospital there.
Confirming the first death, Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu said that necessary contact tracing, isolation, and other measures were being taken. On Wednesday Sriramulu had said there was no confirmation that the death was due to coronavirus and test reports of his samples were awaited. He said the person had gone to Saudi Arabia in January end and came back on February 29. On his return, he was down with fever and took treatment at a private hospital. Later, on the advice of doctors or family he had gone to Hyderabad, the minister had said. A senior health department official had said the man died on the way back from Hyderabad around 11 pm on Tuesday.
"A 76-yr-old man from Kalaburagi who passed away and was a suspected COVID-19 patient has been confirmed positive for COVID-19. Contact tracing, isolation and other measures being taken. Telangana Govt. has also been informed as he went to a hospital there."
The number of coronavirus positive cases in India have soared to 74. Fourteen fresh cases have been reported from several states, including nine from Maharashtra, the Union Health Ministry said today.
A fifth coronavirus case was reported from Karnataka on Thursday after a 26-year-old man who returned from Greece tested positive for coronavirus. The patient is kept in isolation at a hospital and his condition is stable. The education department in Karnataka also declared summer holidays for students from kindergarten to class six and study leave for higher classes in the city as a precautionary measure.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the countrymen not to panic and asserted that the government was fully vigilant. Apart from directing the Union ministers not to travel abroad in the upcoming days, Modi also urged people to avoid non-essential travel, saying, "we can break the chain of spread and ensure the safety of all by avoiding large gatherings."
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