IDUKKI: A 74-year-old man from Tamil Nadu who died while on home quarantine at Pethotty near Santhanpara last night was found coronavirus positive by the health authorities in Idukki on Thursday.
The deceased, identified as Pandyan, who is a Tamil Nadu native, had been staying at Pethotty where he owns nearly an acre of land, after the death of his wife Leelavathy.
However, before the government announced statewide lockdown, Pandyan went to his son's home in Tamil Nadu and got stranded there.
Later, he managed to reach Choondal in a vegetable truck from Tamil Nadu to Pethotty on June 28.
Upon being informed by some local people of his arrival, the health authorities quarantined him at his home in Pethotty.
Although he had completed 14 days in isolation since then, the next day he was down with fever and cough and took medical assistance at a private hospital in Santhanpara.
As the hospital authorities suspected the possibility him having contracted coronavirus infection, they further informed the health department authorities, who collected his swab sample for testing two days ago, the test result of which came positive on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the man's condition worsened and he succumbed to the virus on Wedensday night. Pandyan was found dead by some local residents, who went to see him on Thursday morning, which was later confirmed by health authorities.
Further proceedings are underway.