BAGALKOT/BENGALURU/BELAGAVI: A day after Karnataka witnessed a surge in Coronavirus-positive cases, the state recorded its fourth fatality on Friday.
The victim is a 75-year-old man Bagalkot (Patient 125) who had no travel history. His son, who works with a software company in Bengaluru, and his daughter had visited him about 10 days ago. The son too is being tested.
Bagalkot Deputy Commissioner Captain Dr K Rajendra said the man had tested positive only on Thursday and was admitted to a government hospital for medical care. But he died within 24 hours. The health authorities had put all the 10 members of his family under quarantine and collected their throat swabs.
Speaking to TNIE, Superintendent of Police Lokesh Jagalasar said, “The decision on the final rites will be taken at the meeting of the District Disaster Management Committee, which will be presided over by Deputy Commissioner. We will conduct the rites as per the guidelines.”
Dr Om Prakash Patil, Director, Health and Family Welfare Department, said, “The patient was on oxygen and was critical. We have told the family that it is preferable to cremate, but if they want to follow burial rituals, we have told them it will be a deep burial.” Meanwhile, three more positive cases were reported from Belagavi, taking the count to 128 in the state.
According to officials, all the three had attended the Markaz congregation held at Nizamuddin in Delhi. While one of the patients hails from Belagavi city, the other two are from neighbouring towns in the district. The three persons — a 70-year-old male (Patient 126), a 26-year-old male (Patient 127) and another 20-year-old male (Patient 128) — have been admitted in the COVID-19 ward at Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS).