A patient tested negative in the Antigen test at the OPD in the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital has died of COVID-19 within hours.

The 45- year- old victim was a resident of Pelpolahena and a mason in a construction site in Colombo and about four days ago he had called over at the OPD complaining of cough and fever. He had been found negative in the Antigen test and discharged after providing OPD treatment for fever.

However, the PHI of the area had advised him to use a separate room and to take other precautions while not moving with others. At night his condition had worsened and he had died on admission to the Karapitiya Hospital.

The PCR test carried out during the postmortem examination confirmed that he had been CORONA positive.

Based on the postmortem report of JMO- Dr. Smadhi Dandeniyarachchi , City Coroner Mahesah Dharmaratne returned the verdict of death due to pneumonia caused by the CORONA –virus.(Sirangika Lokukaravita )