Tamil Nadu records first COVID-19 death as 54-yr-old patient from Madurai succumbs

Just hours earlier on Tuesday, the Minister had updated that the patient was not responding well to treatment, given his medical conditions.

Coronavirus Coronavirus

Tamil Nadu reported its first COVID-19 death on Wednesday. Patient 12, the 54-year-old man from Madurai, who had no history of travel to other states or countries, died early on Wednesday morning.

He was reported to have been infected with coronavirus on March 23. Two days later, in the early hours of March 25, Tamil Nadu’s Health Minister C Vijayabaskar announced via a tweet that the patient has died. “Despite our best efforts, the #COVID-19 +ve Pt at MDU, #RajajiHospital, passed away few minutes back. He had medical history of prolonged illness with steroid-dependent COPD, uncontrolled Diabetes with Hypertension,” the Minister tweeted.

#update: Despite our best efforts, the #COVID19 +ve Pt at MDU, #RajajiHospital, passed away few minutes back.He had medical history of prolonged illness with steroid dependent COPD, uncontrolled Diabetes with Hypertension.@MoHFW_INDIA @CMOTamilNadu #Vijayabaskar March 24, 2020

Patient 12 was isolated and was undergoing treatment at Madurai Rajaji Government General Hospital. Just hours earlier on Tuesday, the Minister had updated that the patient was not responding well to treatment, given his medical conditions. “He has a medical history of prolonged illness with steroid dependent COPD, uncontrolled Diabetes with Hypertension. Our team is striving hard to stabilise,” his tweet read.

#Update:The #covid19 +ve Pt at MDU,Rajaji Hosp is not responding well to treatment since evening & is deteriorating now.He has a medical history of prolonged illness with steroid dependent COPD, uncontrolled Diabetes with Hypertension. Our team is striving hard to stabilise.#CVB — Dr C Vijayabaskar (@Vijayabaskarofl) March 24, 2020

This patient’s lack of travel history raised concerns and fears of community spread among people. The Minister, during his press meet, said that his team was working hard to find the source of infection. Later, on Tuesday, the Minister told reporters that this man had come in contact with the two Thailand nationals who had tested positive for COVID-19 and were undergoing treatment in isolation in Erode.

As of Wednesday morning, the total number of COVID-19 infected patients in Tamil Nadu is 18, including the one who recovered. The latest patients include a 65-year-old man who returned from New Zealand and is currently admitted at a private hospital, a 55-year-old woman from Saidapet who is currently at Kilpauk Medical College, and a 25-year-old who returned from London and is at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.