TRICHY: A 60-year-old man admitted to the Covid-19 isolation ward of Ariyalur government hospital hanged himself to death on Friday evening. However, a little later, his swab sample was found to have tested negative for the novel coronavirus at the lab in Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH).The victim, P Narayanan, was a native of Arakkatalai village in Ariyalur district and was working as a daily wager in Kerala. He had returned on March 23 but having had fever symptoms volunteered to undergo the test at Ariyalur GH. He was admitted to the isolation ward of the GH on April 6 and his swab was sent to the Covid-19 lab at Trichy GH the next day. He was put up in a separate room in the ward as his result was awaited. On Friday evening, a staff nurse in Ariyalur GH gave him tea and biscuits around 6 pm. However, when medical personnel came with dinner around 7 pm, they found him hanging from the window using his towel.“He was completely calm during the treatment and his swab test result was supposed to be out on Saturday. After his death, we got in touch with the Trichy GH lab on phone and found that he had tested negative for Covid-19," a senior health department official said. The CCTV cameras have coverage only up to the entrance of the isolation room.Apart from the Narayanan, there were three other patients admitted to the isolation ward of Ariyalur GH. The swab test was not conducted on two patients as they did not show symptoms, the officials added. Ariyalur collector D Rathna said, "Hospital management said there was a quarrel between the victim and his wife at the hospital campus when she came to meet him. An inquiry is under way." Ariyalur police are investigating the suicide.