A 68-year-old woman in Delhi became the country’s second victim of COVID-19 coronavirus on Friday as several states went into battle mode to contain the spread of COVID-19, shutting down schools, theatres and colleges, and many public events, including the IPL, were postponed.
According to the Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare, the woman had come in contact with her son, the fifth case of Coronavirus in the national capital, with a history travel history to Switzerland and Italy between February 5 and 22.
Her death was caused due to co-morbidity (diabetes and hypertension), health ministry officials said, adding she had tested positive for COVID-19.
The Health Ministry said “her son developed fever and cough after one day of his return and reported to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on March 7, 2020. As per protocol, the family was screened and since he and his mother had fever and cough, both were admitted in the hospital.”
The woman’s sample was collected on March 8. “Her condition worsened on March 9, with the development of pneumonia and she was shifted to intensive care unit. Her sample also tested positive for COVID-19. Since March 9 she was having respiratory fluctuations and was provided ventilator support. However, due to co-morbid conditions, she died on March 13 at RML Hospital, Delhi as confirmed by the treating physician and Medical Superintendent.”
On Thursday, the first death was reported from Karnataka, where a 76-year-old man had tested positive after returning from Saudi Arabia.
The Union Health ministry put the number of positive cases at 82, eight more since Thursday night, which includes the woman and the deceased man from Karnataka, besides 17 foreign nationals.
Cases of the infection have been reported from at least 11 states and territories, including Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala, where three patients were discharged last month after they recovered.
Also, another seven from Safdarjung hospital have also recovered.
Addressing reporters on Friday, officials said coronavirus — a pandemic that has infected 1,31,500 people in 116 countries and territories and killed more than 4,900 — is not a health emergency and there is no need to panic.