Bengaluru, May 25: An 84-year-old man, who was admitted to a private hospital in Bengaluru’s Whitefield, died on May 17 and later tested positive for COVID-19, health officials confirmed on Saturday.
The elderly man had been hospitalized since May 13 and was suffering from several existing health problems. Although his COVID-19 test was done while he was alive, the result came after his death.
This incident has raised fresh concerns as COVID-19 cases are seeing a small rise again.
Health authorities reported that Karnataka has recorded 38 new COVID-19 cases, with 32 of them in Bengaluru alone. However, officials say there is no need to worry.
Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao spoke to the media and asked people not to panic. “When people see headlines about a COVID comeback, they get scared. I want to assure everyone that the situation is under control,” he said.
He also requested the media to report responsibly and avoid creating fear. “COVID-19 is not new. It became a pandemic five years ago, and now we know how to handle it. There’s no need to overstate the risk,” he added.
The minister said the government is staying alert and is taking steps to closely watch the situation. He also pointed out that nearby Kerala is seeing a rise in cases due to more testing, and Karnataka is following the central government’s advice, which does not suggest any special restrictions for now.
“There are no travel restrictions. People can continue with their normal lives,” Rao clarified.
Speaking about the possible reason for the recent rise in cases, he mentioned it could be due to a new sub-variant of the virus. “It might be a sub-lineage of the JN.1 variant, which has been found in places like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. Even in those countries, people are not panicking,” he said.
While the death of the elderly man has drawn attention to the virus again, health officials said his other health issues were a major factor in his passing. They have advised people, especially those with health problems, to be careful and see a doctor if they feel sick.
