On Tuesday, a third person succumbed to the novel coronavirus in India, bringing the total death toll to 3. Over 126 people have so far tested positive for the virus in the country.
The 63-year-old Ghatkopar resident passed away while admitted to Mumbai’s Kasturba Hospital.
According to a press update by the Municipal Corporation Greater Mumbai Public Health Department, the patient who had tested positive for the virus had had high blood pressure, pneumonia and inflammation of heart muscles and increased heart rate leading to death.
#COVID2019 +ve Mumbai based Patient (63yr) died Today. @mybmcHealthDept issues a statement on same pic.twitter.com/ihrZRimFIL
— Sweety (@AdimulamSweety) March 17, 2020
The man had a travel history to Dubai and had earlier been admitted to Mumbai’s Hinduja hospital after he complained of ill health. He was shifted to Kasturba Hospital the next day. Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope added that the man had returned to Mumbai on March 5.
Following his demise BJP leader Ram Kadam called it an “unfortunate” incident.
“The government should plan to lock down a few cities especially Mumbai and Pune, in order to contain the virus,” he added.
Maharashtra at present has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country with 39 people testing positive.
The state government has already invoked Epidemic Disease Act, 1897 from March 13 that gives wide-ranging powers to officials to enforce measures, including that of lock-down and quarantine, required to tackle an outbreak.
The government has also ordered the closure of educational institutions, theatres, malls, parks, swimming pools, gymnasiums etc to stop the spread of coronavirus.
On Sunday, the Mumbai Police invoked section 144 of the CrPC to prohibit tour operators from conducting any kind of group tours to foreign or domestic destinations till March 31.