A COVID-19 patient in his 60s who was being treated at home has died, marking the first fatality since at-home treatment was rolled out in the country in January.

According to officials of Seoul's Seodaemun district, the 68-year-old's condition suddenly deteriorated Thursday morning after testing positive for COVID-19.

His wife, who also tested positive for COVID-19, called 119 when her husband fell ill. The man was rushed to the hospital, but went into cardiac arrest around the time a COVID-19 ambulance arrived at their residence some 40 minutes later.  

The man had no symptoms or underlying conditions, and opted to stay home. He was not vaccinated.

One district official said the local public health center advised him three times to be admitted to a treatment facility considering his age, but the individual strongly expressed his desire to remain at home.

As the government is seeking to expand at-home treatment with the country's transition to a "living with COVID-19" system from next month, the case is raising the need to bolster the emergency transport of such patients.