First coronavirus death reported in Mumbai
According to officials, the 64-year-old had earlier been admitted to Hinduja Hospital and later shifted to the isolation ward of Kasturba Hospital after testing positive for COVID-19 (Representational Image)
Mumbai saw its first coronavirus death on Tuesday after a 63-year-old man admitted at Kasturba Hospital succumbed to the deadly virus.
According to BMC officials, the Ghatkopar-resident had returned from Dubai on March 8. He had earlier been admitted to Hinduja Hospital and later shifted to the isolation ward of Kasturba Hospital after testing positive for COVID-19.
His wife and son have also tested positive for the virus.
A 60+ yr old male patient with Pneumonia, Hypertension & Inflammation of Heart muscle passed away today. He became as good as family to all his caretakers at the hospital. We pray for his soul to rest in peace, & convey our condolences to the family.#Covid19Update pic.twitter.com/1jFKZPF17e
— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) March 17, 2020
This is the first coronavirus-related death in Maharashtra and Mumbai. Apart from him, the novel coronavirus has claimed two other lives in India – one in Karnataka and one in Delhi.
Across India, 128 people have tested positive for virus till now. Of them, 39 cases have been reported in Maharashtra, the Indian state worst-hit by the global pandemic.
Meanwhile, five more persons tested positive for the novel coronavirus as of Monday, taking the number of infected cases in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to 14.
Daksha Shah, deputy director of BMCs health department, said of the five people who have tested positive in the MMR, one is from Mumbai and two each from Navi Mumbai and Kalyan cities.
Of the 14 who tested positive, six are from Mumbai and the remaining eight from the rest of the MMR. The latest person to test positive in Mumbai is a 44-year-old woman who had travelled to Lisbon and Portugal and was admitted to a hospital on March 14.
According to Shah, 65 persons suspected of having coronavirus infection were being treated at civic-run Kasturba Hospital till Monday evening.
The BMC said 1,865 people were checked for the viral infection at Kasturba Hospital OPD until Monday.
Further, as per the guidelines of the Union government, an isolation facility has been set up at Seven Hills Hospital in Marol and all travellers with suspected coronavirus infection are isolated there.
All travellers on airports are divided into A, B, and C categories, depending upon their risk profile. High risk A category travellers are admitted to Kasturba Hospital, while medium risk travellers admitted at Seven hills for 14 days.
Low-risk C category travellers have been advised to opt for home isolation.
Amid the rising number of cases in Mumbai, several religious institutions have also temporarily closed down to avoid congregation of people and prevent further spread of the virus.
#Coronavirus | Siddhivinayak & Prabhadevi temples have been closed for devotees till further notice to mitigate spread of COVID-19.
However, Siddhivinayak Temple’s health centre will remain open.
Prior to this, authorities also shut SGNP, Byculla Zoo and Ajanta & Ellora caves. pic.twitter.com/bp7XjAik8I
— LocalPressCo Mumbai (@LocalPressCo) March 16, 2020
