'Coming from influence doesn't give one the right to spread Coronavirus': Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday warned those holding influential positions against hiding the symptoms of Coronavirus and advised the foreign returnees to get themselves tested at the earliest. Her remarks came after it emerged that the 18-year-old who is the first case of coronavirus in the state reportedly flouted norms, refused to get admitted to two hospitals and continued meeting people in the days after his return from the UK.

'They should immediately go for tests'

"We don't support if somebody tries to hide his/her symptoms and doesn't take precautionary measures. If people show any symptom of Covid-19 (coronavirus disease), they should immediately go for tests and medical examination," the Chief Minister said. "Just because someone belongs to an influential family, it does not give him the right to spread the virus," Banerjee said while addressing a programme in Kolkata.

A few senior state government officials, including Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay, were asked to stay at home after they came in contact with an officer whose son tested positive for the coronavirus, PTI sources said. The 18-year-old youth had gone to the UK for higher studies and had returned on Sunday. Banerjee said the youth did not pay heed to the advice of doctors who suggested him to go for tests.

TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty to be 'home quarantined'

On Wednesday, TMC announced that their MP and popular Bengali actor Mimi Chakraborty would be home quarantined for 14 days after returning from London. Bengali film actress and Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty, who returned from England on Tuesday, announced she would remain in home isolation for the next seven days and won't even meet her parents as a precautionary measure in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

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"I have returned from a place like the UK via Dubai. So all the precautions have been taken. I have told my parents not to meet me at home. My father is above 65 years. First seven days I will be at home," the Lok Sabha member from Jadavpur told the media. "We are going through bad times. But I am sure it will pass off. We must go by the government directives on cleanliness, wash our hands and take all precautions. We must maintain distance with other people as a safety measure," she said.

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(With agency inputs)