THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala registered its second COVID-19 death Tuesday morning when 68-year-old former Kerala Police official Abdul Azeez passed away at the Medical College hospital here.

He was a native of Pothencode in Thiruvananthapuram. He has been identified as Abdul Azeez. He died late last night yesterday. He was under treatment at the medical college hospital since March 23.

Meantime, the health department is puzzled as to how the man got infected. He has no recent history of foreign travel and no infected contacts identified so far. He never came in touch with anyone from abroad also.

Health officials point out that the first test turned negative and it was only later it became positive.

The last rites would now be conducted according to the medical protocol and as per religious traditions.

Meanwhile, the test results of his wife and daughter are now awaited.

Based on the information obtained from his family members and relatives, the district authorities had released a patient flowchart for contact tracing. He had attended the wedding of a relative in the Rajasree auditorium at Ariyottukonam near Pothencode on March 2. The same day he had gone to the sub-treasury office near the Thiruvananthapuram MCH to get the pension and later attended the funeral of a relative at Nagaroor Manzil Kabaradi.

The places he visited include the Nagaroor Manzil Kabaradi on March 11, Juma Masjid, Vavarambalam, near Pothencode on March 13, Ayiroopara Farmers Service Cooperative Bank before 2 pm on March 17, and Mohanapuram on March 18.

He had sought treatment at the Thonakkal primary health centre on March 18 after developing symptoms of the disease. After seeking medical care in the hospital again on March 21, he had gone to Sree Gokulam Medical College, Venjaramoodu, two days later. He was referred to the MCH a short while later.

The man a retired cop was residing with his daughter who works as a bus conductor. His two other daughters are currently settled in Malappuram and near the Thiruvananthapuram MCH. He was engaged in tapioca cultivations, efforts are also on to identify his customers.