Two Karnataka men took their own lives on Sunday fearing that they had contracted the coronavirus.
An Udupi man in coastal Karnataka killed himself as he feared that he had contracted COVID-19, but his blood test turned out to be negative, an official said on Sunday.
"He tested negative for coronavirus, the report has confirmed," Udupi District Health Officer Sudhir Chandra Sooda told IANS.
Gopalakrishna Madivala, around 50 years of age, who worked with the state road transport corporation, took his own life amidst fears that he had somehow contracted the virus.
"He wrote a death note saying that he is suffering from coronavirus and thus killed himself," said Sudhir Chandra.
In the wee hours of Wednesday, when everybody was asleep in his house, Gopalakrishna took his own life in the courtyard.
However, Sudhir Chandra said, “The KMC Manipal hospital's forensic department confirmed his coronavirus status as negative."
According to the DHO (District Health Officer), the deceased man had mental health issues.
"I came to know that he had some mental health problem. I also made enquiries with his relatives who live with him, and they said he did not have any coronavirus symptoms," added Sudhir Chandra.
Meanwhile, a 46 year old man in Hassan had reportedly killed himself over fears that he had coronavirus. The Hindu quoted the DHO as saying that the man did not show symptoms of coronavirus, but had asthma and other health problems.
The man was found dead at his residence in a village near Shravanabelagola in Hassan district. He was working with the State Road Transport Corporation, and was working while stationed in Mumbai. He had returned to his hometown for Ugadi last week, and was asked to self quarantine as he had returned from a place considered high risk for coronavirus.
His test for COVID-19 is awaited.
(With IANS inputs)