A 70-year-old man died while in home quarantine in Lakshmipur Sadar upazila yesterday night. 

He had asthma, diabetes and kidney problems, but was also exhibiting Covid-19-like symptoms as at the time of death, he was suffering from fever, cough, throat pain and diarrhoea for the last couple of days, our Noakhali correspondent reports quoting Dr Nizam Uddin, health officer of Sadar Upazila.

He had been put in home quarantine for the last couple of days.

Read More: WHO list of Covid-19 symptoms

The sample of the deceased was collected this morning and sent to Institute of Public Health (IPH) to test for Covid-19, Dr Abdul Gaffar, civil surgeon of Lakshmipur said.

A total 15 houses in the neighbourhood of Dalal Bazar, where the deceased lived, have been placed on lockdown after the death since this afternoon, said AKM Azizur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sadar Police Station.

The old man fell ill after a neighbour, who returned from Saudi Arabia recently, called on him, Dr Nizam said quoting family members.

He also said the Saudi Arabia returnee is not exhibiting any symptoms. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there can be carriers of the avirus with mild symptoms.