Bureaucrat's son who tested positive for COVID-19 took connecting flights, govt to track down passengers

A day after a bureaucrat's son in West Bengal was tested positive for coronavirus, new information has emerged suggesting that he did not take a London-Kolkata flight but took a London-Delhi and Delhi-Mumbai before finally arriving in Kolkata.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation will share all the details of the passengers who travelled on both these flights.

The affected male had attended a party in the UK, where three others had tested positive. After learning this, the 18-year-old was admitted to the hospital.

Meanwhile, the bureaucrat mother of the patient, who had been attending office at Nabanna - the Bengal state secretariat -  till Monday, is in isolation with her husband and driver at the Rajarhat quarantine facility. 

Her office at the secretariat has been sealed and the entire building is being disinfected including 14th floor that houses CM Mamata Banerjee's office.

Notably, the affected person returned from the UK on March 15 and didn't go into quarantine. He only got admitted at Beleghata ID And Hospital on Tuesday and later tested positive. 

As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of confirmed cases in India till March 17, 5:15 PM, is 137. This includes cured cases as well as deaths.

The highest number of positive cases have been reported from Maharashtra at 41, including 3 foreigners, while Kerala is second with 29 cases, including two foreign nationals and three patients who already recovered.