A 32-year-old man with Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) who tested positive for novel coronavirus three days ago died on Saturday.
Dr C R Jayanthi, dean and director, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI), said the institute is doing a causality assessment of the patient, a resident of Nagavara ward.
“We are doing it since he had multiple comorbidities such as TB and he was also an alcoholic,” she said, declining to reveal some of the information regarding his comorbid conditions.
Dr V Ravi, head of neurovirology, Nimhans, and a member of the COVID-19 taskforce, said patients having TB should strictly follow their drug regiment to ensure they are not vulnerable to COVID-19.
Isolation must
Medical education minister and minister in-charge of COVID-19 Dr K Sudhakar said the deceased patient from Nagavara had been diagnosed with the comorbidity conditions seven to eight years ago.
“Immuno-compromised patients succumb to the disease faster than healthy ones. Immuno-compromised patients are isolated from other Covid-19 patients currently. This should be continued in the future,” he said.
The BBMP has sealed the ward following the man’s positive result.
The source of the patient, bedridden for the past three months, is yet to be determined. He was a TB patient and an alcoholic. His mother brought food from his sister’s house. Both women and his sister’s child have tested negative.
The women worked in a garment factory, while the man used a common toilet in the neighbourhood. The BBMP has sent a notice to the factory, which operated throughout the lockdown period, and asked all 32 of its employees to stay at home.
Following the man’s admission to Victoria Hospital, 53 of his contacts, which includes 50 secondary contacts in the Muthu Compound area in KG Halli, have been put in
quarantine.