A 65-year-old man from Sira in Tumkur district has died due to novel coronavirus (COVID-19). This is the third death linked to coronavirus in Karnataka.

The man had no travel history of visiting any of the coronavirus-hit countries. However, he had travelled to Delhi on March 5 by the Sampark Kranti Express train. In Delhi, he had attended religious activities at Jama Masjid between March 7 and 11. He returned to Bengaluru by Kongu Express (S9 coach) on March 14 and took a bus to Sira.

On March 18, the patient visited a private clinic as he had developed symptoms like cold and fever. He was admitted to the district hospital in Tumkur on March 23. He passed away at 10.45am on Friday. "The district administration is busy tracing the primary and secondary contacts of the patient," said Rakesh Kumar, deputy commissioner of Tumkur.

Around 25 persons, including the three wives and sixteen children of the deceased, are now in home quarantine.