Coronavirus scare: Suspected virus patient from Kalaburagi dies; result delayed

HUBBALLI / BENGALURU: A 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi suspected to be infected with coronavirus died on Tuesday night. Karnataka health officials said the exact cause of his death is still being ascertained.
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Officials said Mahmad Hussain Siddiqui had returned from a pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia 10 days ago. Hours after his death, his test results were still awaited, exposing poor surveillance against coronavirus beyond Bengaluru.
While officials from Benglauru to Kalaburagi ruled out Covid-19 as the cause for the death, no one was forthcoming on why his test results were delayed.
No official knew whether he died in Karnataka or in Telangana. Siddiqui was rushed to a Hyderabad hospital on Monday, but the hospital discharged him the next day. He reportedly died on the way back to Kalaburagi.
Pankaj Kumar Pandey, commissioner, health and family welfare department, said reports that Siddiqui died of Covid-19 are false. "His sample has been collected and sent for tests," he added.
Showed no symptoms: DC
Kalaburagi deputy commissioner B Sharat told TOI that Siddiqui went to Saudi Arabia on January 29. "He landed at Hyderabad airport on February 29 where he was screened and showed no symptoms for Covid-19."
"On March 5, he went to a private hospital in Kalaburagi and got admitted in the hospital the next day. He had asthma and hypertension. On March 9, he was shifted to a hospital in Hyderabad. We don't know why he was shifted there. It could be his family's decision or the referral made by the hospital based on his condition. He was a suspected case for Covid-19 and his sample was taken for testing by the Kalaburagi private hospital," said Jawed Akhtar, additional chief secretary, health and family welfare department in Bengaluru.
Akhtar said the reasons for the patient's discharge from the Hyderabad hospital were also not known. "He died on his way. We don't know where exactly he died and we cannot call it a Covid-19 death as the test result is still pending," he said.
"As his condition was serious, private hospital authorities advised his family members to take him home on Tuesday night. On the way back from Hyderabad, he breathed his last at 10.30pm. Since the test report is pending, we don't know the exact reason for his death," Kalaburagi district health officer MA Jabbar said.
"Thirty persons, including his family members, had come in contact with him and they are under home isolation. So far, they have not developed any symptoms. All precautionary measures are being taken to tackle the situation," Jabbar said.
Sharanabasappa Kyatanal, taluk health officer, Kalaburagi was made the nodal officer to ensure all precautionary measures were followed during the last rites of the deceased. Siddiqui was laid to rest in the afternoon.