Bangkok: An Indian taxi driver in Singapore, who was diagnosed as having viral fever, has died of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), becoming the first Indian victim of the killer disease in the world.

The 43-year-old man of Indian origin, who was not identified, died 11 days ago, reports quoting Singapore's Health Ministry said.

Initially he was thought to have died of viral fever but tests on his tissue samples indicated the presence of cornavirus (which causes SARS), the ministry said on April 29.

It said the post mortem carried out on April 20 showed some damage to lungs possibly from infection. It was only after tissue samples were taken for further tests that the cornavirus (which causes SARS) was isolated.

The ministry said 15 people, including the deceased's family members and friends, would be quarantined at home as a precautionary measure, even though the 10-day incubation period for the virus is over.

It said the case had gone undetected as the driver who developed fever on April 11 had apparently gone to a local general practitioner and again revisited him three days later.

On the victim's second visit, the general practitioner referred him to Singapore's Changi Hospital's emergency department for viral fever.

As blood tests on the victim did not show anything unusual, the driver was discharged and given two days' medical leave. The victim, however, collapsed at home on April 19 after becoming breathless and could not be revived after he was rushed to hospital.

Investigations are on to determine how the driver caught the bug and also to find out who else he might have been in contact with, media reports said.

So far 23 people have died of SARS in the island state while 201 people have been infected. At least 3,001 persons are under home quarantine.

PTI