India's 1st Omicron Death a Rajasthan Man With Comorbidities: Health Ministry

The man had tested positive for COVID on 15 December, and had developed symptoms such as fever, cough, and rhinitis.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday, 5 January, confirmed the demise of a 73-year-old Rajasthan man as the country's first recorded instance of an Omicron-related death.

(Photo: IANS Infographics)

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday, 5 January, confirmed the demise of a 73-year-old Rajasthan man as the country's first recorded instance of an Omicron-related death.

“Technically, it is an Omicron-related death in Rajasthan. That person had already died by the time the Omicron-positive results came. He was an elderly person and had diabetes and other comorbid conditions and was being treated as per protocol for his comorbid conditions as well as for the infection."

Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal

“Our guidelines state that if a coronavirus patient dies, it is considered as a COVID-19 fatality. Similarly, if a person is found to be Omicron positive, even if it is detected late, we will consider that as an Omicron-positive case,” Joint Secretary Agarwal said at a press conference on Wednesday.

The elderly man, who was found infected with Omicron in genome sequencing, had passed away at an Udaipur hospital on 31 December, news agency PTI reported, citing Rajasthan government officials.

The deceased had tested positive for COVID-19 on 15 December, and had developed symptoms such as fever, cough, and rhinitis.

He had died due to post-COVID pneumonia coupled with comorbidities – diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hypothyroidism, Udaipur Chief Medical Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Dinesh Kharadi said, PTI reported.

Meanwhile, Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal observed at the press conference that India had reported a 6.3 times hike in the number of new COVID-19 cases in the last eight days. The case positivity had risen from 0.79 percent on 29 December to 5.03 percent on 5 January.

India on Wednesday reported 58,097 new COVID cases, and 534 deaths due to the viral disease.