MADURAI: A 54-year-old man infected with coronavirus died at a hospital here in the early hours of Wednesday, the first death recorded in Tamil Nadu due to the contagion, state Health Minister C Vijayabaskar said. He also said the man had a medical history of prolonged illness with "uncontrolled diabetes". He was a native of Madurai Anna Nagar.

"Despite our best efforts, the COVID-19 positive patient at MDU, Rajaji Hospital, passed away... he had medical history of prolonged illness with steroid dependent COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), uncontrolled diabetes with hypertension," the health minister tweeted.

A #COVID19 positive patient who was admitted at Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, Tamil Nadu has passed away.He had medical history of prolonged illness with steroid-dependent COPD, uncontrolled diabetes with hypertension: Dr C Vijayabaskar, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare pic.twitter.com/K14MPLRNs1

— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2020

On Tuesday, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state rose to 18 after six more people, including three women, tested positive for coronavirus. With this, the death toll in the country has risen to 11.