New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: A 76-year-old man from Karnataka who died on Tuesday turned out to be India's first coronavirus facility, reported news agency PTI.
Test samples taken earlier said he was a confirmed case of COVID-19, the report added.
B Sriramulu, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, in a tweet said, "The 76-year-old man from Kalburgi who passed away and was a suspected COVID19 patient has been confirmed for COVID. The necessary contact tracing, isolation and other measures as per protocol are being carried out."
The 76 year old man from Kalburgi who passed away & was a suspected #COVID19 patient has been Confirmed for #COVID19. The necessary contact tracing, isolation & other measures as per protocol are being carried out.
— B Sriramulu (@sriramulubjp) March 12, 2020
The Press Information Bureau, Government of India on Thursday also released a statement which said that the deceased had a travel history to Saudi Arabia.
The number of confirmed cases in the country has risen to 74, Union Health Ministry said on Thursday. The total number of diagnosed cases includes 16 Italians in Jaipur.
With number of cases rising in India and around the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asked people not to panic and recommended them to take precautions. He added that no minister of the central government will travel abroad in the upcoming days, strongly urged people to avoid non-essential travel and asked people to avoid large gatherings.
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"Say No to Panic, Say Yes to Precautions. No Minister of the Central Government will travel abroad in the upcoming days. I urge our countrymen to also avoid non-essential travel. We can break the chain of spread and ensure safety of all by avoiding large gatherings," the tweet read.
Say No to Panic, Say Yes to Precautions.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 12, 2020
No Minister of the Central Government will travel abroad in the upcoming days. I urge our countrymen to also avoid non-essential travel.
We can break the chain of spread and ensure safety of all by avoiding large gatherings.
Earlier in the day, The Delhi government declared Coronavirus an epidemic and announced all schools, colleges and cinema halls to be shut in the national capital till March 31.
At least 14 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra and Haryana (foreign nationals), 17 in Kerela, 10 in Uttar Pradesh, six in Delhi, five in Karnataka (fifth case to be confirmed by Health Ministry), three in Ladakh and Rajasthan (one Indian, two foreigners), one each confirmed case in Telangana, Jammu & Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.