COVID-19: Five of family test positive in West Bengal

West Bengal on Friday reported five fresh cases of COVID-19 including that of an infant, the highest number of confirmed cases on a single day in the state, pushing the total number of positive cases to 15.

Of the five fresh cases which were reported from Nadia district in South Bengal, four did not have any recent travel history.

The five, who belong to one family, are a nine-month-old baby, a six-year-old girl, an 11-year-old boy and two women aged 27 and 45, a health official said.

The 27-year-old woman had visited Delhi, where she came in contact with a person from the UK who recently tested positive, the official said.

 

"We tracked the entire family and tested eight of them. Five were found positive," the official said, adding that they are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Nadia district.

"We are now trying to track down those with whom these five patients came in contact," the official said.

Of the 15 afflicted with the disease in the state, one has died and an elderly patient is in critical condition.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday evening and appreciated the state government's role in controlling the spread of COVID-19, sources close to the CM said.

During the 10-minute conversation, Modi also took stock of the current situation in the state in the backdrop of the coronavirus outbreak.

The chief minister also warned people against posting or sharing fake information on the COVID-19 pandemic, saying strong action would be taken against those found guilty.

She said all international flights to Kolkata will continue to remain suspended till April 14.

Banerjee also asked officials to facilitate the opening of 27 night shelters for the homeless in the city.

Various parts of the state wore a deserted look on Friday as people preferred to stay indoors on the third day of the 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.

The prime minister had on Tuesday evening announced a three-week lockdown in the country, as part of the central government's measures to fight the pandemic.

Private and public vehicle operators largely stayed off the roads, while business establishments, barring those dealing with essential commodities, remained shut.

A few markets witnessed people shoving each other, though many adhered to the social distancing rules while buying essentials at grocery stores.

More than 2,000 people have been arrested in the state this week for violating the lockdown prohibitions.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has reserved two burial grounds and a crematorium for last rites of coronavirus victims in the city.