A 36-year-old patient admitted to the Government Medical College, Ernakulam, with COVID-19-like symptoms but was tested negative, died around Friday midnight.

Hospital sources cited acute pneumonia and respiratory failure as the cause of death. The body has not yet been released as results of a second test for COVID-19 is being awaited from the National Institute of Virology, Alappuzha.

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The deceased, a resident of Kannur, was admitted with viral pneumonia symptoms, on arrival at the Cochin International Airport from Malaysia on Thursday night. He was moved to the isolation ward and put on ventilator support after his condition was found to be critical.

As on Friday, two patients were undergoing treatment at the isolation ward of the hospital and 28 persons in home quarantine.

District Collector S. Suhas has been regularly visiting the hospital to review the situation.

Control room number: 0484-2368802.