Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, April 1

A 25-year-old man, who died on Monday morning at Gorakhpur’s BRD medical college hospital, has become the first COVID-19 victim of Uttar Pradesh, after his sample tested positive at King George Medical University laboratory on Wednesday.

Shortly after this, the state reported another death from Meerut medical college. Sixteen members from his family have also reported positive for the disease.

Originally a resident of Basti, the 25-year-old youth had a history of travel to Mumbai.

He was admitted to Gorakhpur’s BRD medical college hospital on Sunday, March 29 with breathing difficulty. He had been admitted to ward number 14 of the Department of Medicine.

After his condition worsened, he was shifted to the ICU where he succumbed to his medical condition on Monday morning sending alarm bells ringing among the doctors’ fraternity.

The BRD Hospital doctors sent his saliva sample to Lucknow’s KGMU where he has tested positive, confirmed KGMU media in-charge, Dr Sudhir Singh, on Wednesday, making him the first death in the state due to COVID 19.

However, Basti District Magistrate Ashutosh Niranjan denied receiving any such report from Lucknow so far.

While 104 cases have tested positive from various districts of Uttar Pradesh so far, this is the first death due to the disease.