COVID Claims Life Of 84-Year-Old in Bengaluru With Comorbidities

An 84-year-old Bengaluru man with comorbidities died after testing positive for COVID-19, as Karnataka reports a case rise. Officials urge calm, citing no need for panic.

Elderly Bengaluru Man Dies After Testing Positive for COVID-19

Source : Unsplash@martinsanchez

A recent COVID-19-related death in Bengaluru has raised fresh concerns as Karnataka witnesses a small but notable increase in infections. An 84-year-old man, who had been admitted to a private hospital in Whitefield on May 13, passed away on May 17 and has since tested positive for COVID-19, health officials confirmed on Saturday.

The man had multiple pre-existing health conditions, which officials believe played a key role in the fatal outcome. His COVID-19 test, conducted while he was still alive, returned a positive result after his death. This has prompted renewed attention toward the virus, even as health authorities downplayed the severity of the current situation.

Karnataka has recorded 38 new COVID-19 cases, with 32 emerging from Bengaluru alone. While this has sparked public concern, state officials maintain that there is no reason to panic.

“When people see headlines suggesting a COVID resurgence, they tend to panic. I want to reassure everyone that the situation is under control,” said Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao during a media interaction earlier in the day.

He urged the public to remain calm and continue their normal routines. At the same time, he appealed to the media to avoid sensationalism in their coverage. “COVID-19 is not new. It turned into a pandemic five years ago, and now we’re equipped to deal with it. There is no need to exaggerate its severity,” he said.

Rao added that the state government remains vigilant and is taking necessary precautions. He noted the recent spike in neighbouring Kerala, attributing it to more aggressive testing rather than a sudden outbreak. Karnataka, he said, is following the Centre’s advisory and has not implemented any new restrictions.

“There are no curbs in place. People are free to travel and go about their lives as usual,” he clarified.

Addressing the potential reason behind the uptick in cases, the minister suggested a new sub-variant of the coronavirus could be involved. “There’s a chance it could be a sub-lineage of the JN.1 variant, which has been reported in Southeast Asian nations like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. Even there, the response has been measured, without panic,” he said.

Though the death of the elderly patient has brought COVID-19 back into public discussion, health officials reiterated that vulnerable populations, particularly those with underlying health issues, should remain cautious. They advised early medical consultation if any symptoms arise.