New Delhi: Even as the death toll due to COVID-19 outbreak in India reached 17, Union Health Ministry on Friday reiterated that all the deceased were either suffering from previous ailments or age related issues.
Maharashtra has recorded the highest number of coronavirus deaths so far at 4, followed by Gujarat at 3.
On March 13, India reported its first coronavirus death when a 76-years-old man from kalaburagi in Karnataka died while undergoing treatment for coronavirus. The deceased had travel history to Saudi Arabia
"He had previous health ailments. The person was suffering from co-morbidity," said a senior health ministry official.
"It's true that majority of the people who had tested positive for coronavirus had previous health ailments," said the official from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to ETV Bharat.
In fact, most of the people had travel history to foreign countries and a few had come in close contact with the Coronavirus positive person.
A 69-years-old woman in Delhi died of coronavirus after she came in close contact with his son who had a travel history to Dubai.
Two persons who died after testing positive for Novel Coronavirous in Rajasthan had previous health ailments. According to official, one of them had a kidney-related chronic ailment and was diabetic too.
Statistics shows that 16 people had died due to coronavirus in last 14 days. India recorded highest no of casualty (4) due to coronavirus in a single day on Thursday. On Wednesday the casualty figure was 13, it was 10 on Tuesday and 9 on Monday.
The Health Ministry has recorded highest 20 percent increase in the death toll in between Monday to Tuesday.
"However, the figure of casualty as well as active coronavirus positive cases in India was comparatively low against country's population," the official said.
What has worried the medical practitioners in India is the unavailability of anti-coronavirus drug.
The Centre has restricted sale and distribution of "Hydroxychloroquine" declaring it as an essential drug to treat the COVID-19 patients and meet the requirements of emergency arising due to the pandemic.
A Gazette notification issued from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said, "The central government is satisfied that the drug Hydroxychloroquine is essential to meet the requirements of emergency arising due to pandemic COVID-19 and in the public interest, it is necessary and expedient to regulate and restrict the sale and distribution of drugs Hydroxychloroquine and preparation based thereon for preventing their misuse."
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