The novel coronavirus outbreak, which originated in China, has globally infected more than 1,30,000 people and killed nearly 5,000 (Getty photo for representation)

The family of a 76-year-old Karnataka man who died due to the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, this week apparently went against medical advice and forcibly got him discharged from hospitals not once but twice in the days before his death. This according to statements released by Union Ministry of Health and a private hospital in Hyderabad. According to the statements, the family ignored medical advice at a hospital in Karnataka's Kalaburagi, or Gulburga and another one in Hyderabad. The man died on March 10 while he was being moved from Hyderabad to Gulburga.

According to a statement by the Union Ministry of Health, the man had visited Saudi Arabia last month. He returned to India on February 29. Initially he did not have any symptoms, but he developed fever and cough in the first week of March.

On March 9, the man visited a private hospital in Kalaburagi where, the statement says, he was "provisionally diagnosed as 'mid zone viral pneumonia' and 'suspected COVID-19'." Doctors then collected his samples and sent them for testing. However, his family got him discharged "against medical advice" and took him to a private hospital in Hyderabad in neighbouring Telangana, around a four-hour drive from Kalaburagi.

#CoronaVirusUpdate:



Death of a 76 year old male from #Karnataka is confirmed to be caused due to co-morbidity and he has also tested positive for #COVID19.



The details are here: pic.twitter.com/6Vou8iVOo9 Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) March 12, 2020

In Hyderabad, the man was taken to the emergency unit of CARE Hospitals, located in the city's Banjara Hills area. There, according a statement released by the hospital, he was "immediately shifted to an isolation room" that is outfitted with internationally recommended filters to prevent transmission of diseases.

"The necessary treatment required to stabilize the patient was initiated in the isolation room of ER," the hospital said in a statement adding that the family of the patient was counselled about further treatment and the need to admit him to a critical care isolation unit.

"... but the family decided to take the patient back to their native place against medical advice despite being explained the risk to life for non-admission," CARE Hospital claimed in its statement. The hospital claimed that it immediately informed government authorities about the patient leaving the hospital.

The man died while he was on his way back to Kalaburagi.

Following Thursday's confirmation that the man indeed died because of the novel coronavirus, or Covid-19, health authorities in both Karnataka and Telangana are rushing to identify people with whom he may have come in contact.

"Till now 34 of his contacts are traced and kept under strict home isolation. All the contacts are as of now stable and under active surveillance," a Telangana health official told India Today TV.

FIRST DEATH IN INDIA

The 76-year-old's death is the first case of a patient dying due to the novel coronavirus, which results in the COVID-19 disease. So far, India has reported 81 confirmed cases (64 Indians and 17 foreigners) of the novel coronavirus. These include the Karnataka man who died and three patients from Kerala who have been discharged after treatment.

The novel coronavirus outbreak, which originated in China, has globally infected more than 1,30,000 people and killed nearly 5,000. The outbreak has been classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation.