A 68-year-old Philippines citizen, who initially tested positive for COVID-19 but recovered, passed away in Mumbai on Sunday, 22 March, according to ANI.
He was reportedly shifted from Kasturba hospital to a private hospital and had developed acute renal failure and respiratory distress, the Public Health Department said, according to ANI.
This is the third death reported from Mumbai in connection with the coronavirus.
The man had initially tested positive for coronavirus and was under treatment at the civic-run Kasturba Hospital here. He was later shifted to a private hospital after his test report came out negative, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said in a statement.
"He had diabetes mellitus and asthma and was admitted to the Kasturba hospital on March 13. He had developed acute renal failure and respiratory distress," the civic body said.
A similar case of death after recovery from the novel coronavirus was seen in India when an Italian tourist (the first positive case in Jaipur) had died after testing negative for COVID-19. The health ministry, in a press briefing on 20 March, had refused to link the death to the virus.
"The tourist had a history of heart disease, was a chain smoker and had underlying conditions. He was treated for COVID-19 and recovered from the virus. While under treatment for other co-morbidities in a private hospital, the nearly 70 year old man had a heart attack," Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
However doctors FIT spoke with said while the patient may have tested negative for COVID-19, the damage done by the virus could have led to the eventual cardiac event.
"The virus may clear the body, but the virus initiates the release of chemicals that can damage other organs. This is precisely why COVID-19 is so dangerous for heart patients. If you see the trajectory of deaths linked to cardiac disease, it is much higher than any other underlying conditions," Dr Sumit Ray, Critical Care specialist.
The Italian tourist was the first positive case of of COVID-19 in Jaipur. Shortly after, his wife and 14 other Italian tourists of the same travel group tested positive for the disease.
The man and his wife were declared COVID-19 negative after doctors at the Sawai Man Singh Hospital administered a cocktail of anti-HIV drugs and malaria drugs for the treatment of specific symptoms. They were the first in India to be given these repurposed drugs for COVID-19 treatment.
Earlier, the Indian Council of Medical Research, in a press briefing held in Delhi on 12 March, had warned that it’s best not to draw any conclusions yet as single patient cases are not enough and only a structured study can ascertain the efficacy of HIV drugs.
“We still need to wait for the effect,” he had said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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