Published 22:18 IST, March 17th 2020
West Bengal reports first COVID-19 positive case, individual has travel history to London
A man with travel history to London was admitted to IB hospital was tested positive for the Coronavirus virus, making it the first positive case in West Bengal
- India News
- 3 min read
Amidst the increasing number of Coronavirus cases in India, Kolkata reported West Bengal's first positive case on Tuesday. A man with travel history to London was admitted to IB hospital was tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. His parents and driver have been placed under isolation while the infected individual has been quarantined in an isolation ward. So far, 142 positive cases and three deaths have been reported in the country.
In a statement released by the West Bengal government, the state informed that till date 12,244 travellers from COVID-19 affected countries have been identified and placed under surveillance. Out of these, 248 have completed their surveillance period, while 18 are admitted to an isolation facility. 11,978 persons have been placed under home surveillance. The statement added that the health condition of all the persons under surveillance is stable.
Maharashtra worst-hit state
Meanwhile, Maharashtra has been the worst-hit state in the country with a total of 41 positive cases being reported. A 64-year-old man who was tested positive of Coronavirus in Mumbai passed away on Monday at Kasturba Hospital, confirmed BMC commissioner Praveen Pardeshi. As per sources, the deceased was tested positive after returning from Dubai. Earlier, two deaths have been reported in Kalaburagi and West Delhi, making this the third Coronavirus death in India.
Coronavirus crisis
Amidst the global pandemic, the Home Ministry has declared the virus spread as a 'notified disaster'. The Ministry has also advised citizens to avoid mass gatherings and travel to affected countries. India has suspended all visas, barring for a few categories such as diplomatic and employment apart from keeping in abeyance the visa-free travel facility to OCI cardholders till April 15.
First detected in Wuhan in December 2019, COVID-19- the novel Coronavirus has affected nearly 148 countries in the world. Presently, there are over 190,873 confirmed cases of COVID-19 which has led to the death of 7,527 people. As there is no vaccine or specific antiviral medicine to treat COVID-19, countries have been grappling with all possible mechanisms to contain its scope. So far, China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran have witnessed the most number of confirmed cases of the Novel Coronavirus.
Updated 22:18 IST, March 17th 2020