One more COVID-19 death in Kottayam; Kerala’s toll climbs to 8

Kerala on Friday recorded its eighth COVID-19 death when a 65-year-old man, who had been in a critical condition at the Government Medical College in Kottayam, died at around 2 a.m.

The deceased was identified as a native of Perumthuruthy in Thiruvalla. He had been employed in Sharjah, and was flown in from Dubai on May 11.

According to officials, he had been admitted to an institutional quarantine center in Pathanamthitta since his return and did not exhibit any symptoms of the disease. He was identified as COVID-19 positive after his serum samples were collected on May 16. He was then shifted to the Pathanamthitta District Hospital on May 18.

The patient was brought to the GMC in Kottayam on May 25 after his condition deteriorated. He had several comorbidities including acute diabetes.

“The patient had been in a critical condition for the past couple of days after his kidneys and heart failed, requiring him to be on the ventilator. He was being taken care of by a seven member medical board, which functioned on the basis of directions from the State-level experts,” officials said.

The funeral will be held later in the day in accordance with the WHO protocol and under the direction of trained personnel of the Health Department.