The Karnataka government on Thursday announced that a second person in the state has succumbed to coronavirus (COVID-19).

“I regret to inform you that the COVID-19 test result has come out as positive for (name withheld), who had succumbed to death yesterday (Wednesday). The government stands committed to curb the spread of coronaVirus in the state. Please stay home, stay safe,” said Sudhakar, the Medical Education Minister. 

The 75-year-old woman was a native of Hindupur in Andhra Pradesh and had returned from Saudi Arabia. She was being treated at the district hospital in Chikkaballapura and was shifted to Bengaluru on Tuesday.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Health Minister B Sriramulu had said that the woman was suffering from diabetes and chest pain and had also suffered from hip fracture recently. At that time her results had not come yet. 

According to the latest update released on Wednesday, the number of positive cases stood at 51 in Karnataka. This was the highest jump in the number of cases in a single day with 10 new cases being detected in a span of 24 hours.

Bengaluru has the highest number of cases in the state with a total of 32 cases. Dakshina Kannada is the second most affected district with five cases, while Chikkaballapura and Kalaburagi districts have three cases each. 

Earlier in March, Karnataka had reported the first COVID-19 death in the country when a 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi succumbed. He had returned from Saudi Arabia on February 29. and was suffering from pneumonia. He was shifted from a hospital in Kalaburagi to a private hospital in Hyderabad, before being sent back to his hometown.

While the man passed away in Kalaburagi on March 10, he was confirmed positive for the coronavirus days after his demise. His daughter and doctor also later tested positive for the virus.