Karnataka's third victim, a native of Sira in Tumakuru district, had travelled to Delhi by train

BENGALURU/TUMAKURU: Karnataka recorded its third COVID-19 related death with a 65-year-old man from Sira taluk in Tumakuru district succumbing at the Tumakuru District General Hospital on Friday.

Health Minister, B Sriramulu, in a tweet, said, “The number of infected deaths in Karnataka due to COVID-19 has risen to three. I request all the citizens to take the lockdown seriously and be safe with proactive measures at home.” Tumakuru Deputy Commissioner Dr K Rakesh Kumar said, “He hailed from Sira and, after had recently returned from New Delhi. On March 18, he developed fever and cough and visited a private hospital in Sira.

On March 21, he visited a private clinic and after a diagnosis, he was referred to the district hospital.”On March 23, the man visited the hospital as an outpatient and returned to Sira. After complications, he was admitted at 3 am on March 24 with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) and kept in the isolation ward.

“He seemed alright until Thursday night and died suddenly on Friday morning”, the DC said. The district administration has kept 13 others who had travelled with him, in isolation and their samples have been sent to laboratories for tests. This apart, 20 others, including eight members of the deceased’s family, have been home-quarantined and are being monitored closely , he explained. While health officials in Bengaluru said the test results came late on Thursday night, the DC said it was received on Friday around the time the man died.

However, it could not be confirmed if he succumbed to COVID-19 or other related complications. The madrasa manager had left Tumakuru for Delhi at 2.30 pm on March 5 along with 13 others by the Samparka Kranti train (S6 coach). They reached the Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station in Delhi at 3 pm on March 7 and took taxis to Jamia Masjid.

Between March 7 and 10, they stayed at the Jamia Masjid since there were no accommodation available in lodges. On March 11, he left Delhi by Kongu Express (S9 coach) and reached Yeshwantpur at 12.30 am on March 14. From there, he took a KSRTC bus and reached Sira and stayed there for a few days.

Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, said, “Since he stayed at the Jamia Masjid in Delhi from March 7-11, we are tracing all his contacts and coordinating with the Delhi government.”