Chandigarh: A 70-year-old person was reported dead, the first in Punjab since global outbreak of the novel Coronavirus.
The death of the person who had arrived at his village in Nawanshahr district of the state from Germany via Italy was confirmed officially after his samples sent to the PGI, Chandigarh were tested positive for the disease on Wednesday.
The official spokesperson said the deceased had arrived at Delhi airport on March 7 and proceeded to his home state the same day. He was a known case of diabetes and hypertension.
His village has since been locked down and being sanitized.
In the wake of the death, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has called for fight against the pandemic on war footing and urged the Centre to allow private hospitals and labs to conduct tests so that no suspect has to travel to Chandigarh or some other place to get tested from a government facility only.
