Coronavirus | West Bengal records first COVID-19 death

The 57-year-old patient, who tested positive for coronavirus, had a travel history to Italy

A worker sanitises the floor as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of coronavirus, at NSCBI Airport in Kolkata on March 23, 2020.

West Bengal reported its first case of coronovirus death in Kolkata on March 23. A 57-year-old resident of Dum Dum was admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata on March 16. The patient was tested positive on March 21.

Around Monday evening, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee confirmed the death during an all-party meeting at the State Secretariat. Ms. Banerjee said the patient had a travel history to Italy and that his son and other family members stay there.

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Ms. Banerjee added that the patient suffered a cardiac arrest this afternoon and directed the authorities to follow proper guidelines for cremation of the body.

"The 57-year-old male patient, who was admitted to the Salt Lake unit on 16.03.2020 with high fever and cough, expired on 23.03.2020 at around 3:35 p.m…. He was detected COVID-19 positive after samples were sent to NICED [National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases] and SSKM Hospital on 20.03.2020 and 21.03.2020,” a statement from the private hospital where the patient was admitted said.

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The Hospital administration said that the “critical care team tried their best and tried to use ECMO twice on Monday but the patient could not be revived… All necessary steps have been taken to ensure the critical care team is safe”.

So far seven patients had tested positive of the viral infection. The State had announced a lockdown from 5 p.m. on March 23 till midnight of March 27 to prevent the spread of viral infection.