HYDERABAD: A diamond jeweller from Hyderabad, who had thrown a birthday party where about 150 people were present, died of coronavirus earlier this week. The owner of another jewellery shop who attended the party also died of COVID-19 on Saturday.

Twelve people, including a politician from Telangana, who attended the party tested positive for the dreaded virus.

An official from the health department who is familiar with this development, said the affected are undergoing treatment across several hospitals in the city, Hindustan Times reported.

The jeweller from Himayat Nagar had hosted a birthday party for his friends and relatives in Hyderabad. It has been reported that several prominent jewellers, gold merchants and political leaders also attended the party.

“Three days after the birthday party, the jeweller developed symptoms of coronavirus and was immediately admitted to a corporate hospital in the city. He succumbed to the virus earlier this week," an official was quoted as saying.

Another jeweller of the city and a member of Telangana Jewellers' Association was admitted to a corporate hospital in the city after developing COVID-19 symptoms succumbed to coronavirus on Friday. A prominent leader from the ruling party Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) who had attended the birthday party was also infected with the virus.

"Since several business tycoons and politicians were among those attending the birthday party, the incident was kept as a secret," the official said as quoted by the daily.