New Delhi: India reported its second casualty due to coronavirus on Friday with the Union Health Ministry saying a 68-year-old woman, whose son with a travel history abroad had tested positive, died in Delhi.
The death was caused due to co-morbidity (diabetes and hypertension), it said, adding she had tested positive for COVID-19. The woman was admitted in the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, officials said. She became the second person to die of novel coronavirus infection in the country. On Thursday, a 76-year-old man, who died two days ago in Karnataka while being treated for suspected coronavirus, became India's first COVID-19 fatality after his samples taken earlier confirmed the infection.
The Health Ministry said so far 82 cases had been reported across the country, with seven in Delhi. The Health Ministry and Delhi government officials said the woman, a resident of west Delhi, came in contact with her son, who is the fifth case of coronavirus in Delhi with a history travel history to Switzerland and Italy between February 5 and 22.
"She had history of contact with a positive case. The son had returned to India on February 23. He initially was asymptomatic, but developed fever and cough after one day and reported to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on March 7," a Health Ministry statement said. "As per protocol, the family was screened and since he and his mother had fever and cough, both were admitted," it said.
The woman also suffered from diabetes and hypertension. Her sample was collected on Sunday and her condition worsened a day later, the statement said. "She was shifted to the intensive care unit. Her sample also tested positive for COVID19," the Health Ministry said.
Since Monday, she was having respiratory fluctuations and was provided ventilatory support. "However, due to co-morbid conditions, she died on March 13 at the RML Hospital, Delhi as confirmed by the treating physician and Medical Superintendent," the statement added.
