Bengaluru reports first Covid death as 84-year-old man with comorbidities dies

Bengaluru reports Covid death as 84-year-old with comorbidities dies

An 84-year-old man with severe comorbidities has died in Bengaluru, with his Covid-19 test results coming back positive on Saturday, health officials confirmed.  The man was admitted to a private hospital in Whitefield, Bengaluru, on May 13 and passed away on May 17.

It was reported that the Covid-19 test was conducted while he was alive returned positive results on Saturday.

According to the health department, there have been 38 reported COVID-19 cases in the state, including 32 in Bengaluru.

Earlier in the day, State Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao urged the public to remain calm and continue with their daily routines. His comments came in light of the recent surge in Covid cases across the state.

Addressing reporters, Rao stated, "I appeal to everyone not to panic. When you see reports in the media that COVID-19 has returned, people can become alarmed." He also requested that the media portray an accurate picture of the situation and avoid exaggerating the severity of the disease, which became a pandemic five years ago.

The Minister emphasized that the state government is on high alert and has implemented all necessary precautions to contain the spread of the virus. He mentioned that the increase in cases in neighboring Kerala might be due to heightened testing there, which could result in a higher number of reported cases.

Rao clarified that there are currently no COVID-19-related restrictions and that people can move about freely. "People can travel from any part of the country and live their lives normally," he said.

Regarding the recent rise in cases, Rao suggested that it could be linked to a subtype of the coronavirus, possibly a subvariant of JN.1, which has been detected in Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. He noted that there is no panic in those countries either.

(With PTI inputs)