First covid19 case in Bengal, Pune woman tests positive taking Maha numbers to 42

Kolkata: An 18-year-old man, who recently returned from England, tested positive for novel coronavirus on Tuesday, making it the first confirmed case in West Bengal, a senior official of the state government said.

He started showing symptoms of COVID-19 since morning, following which he was admitted to the isolation ward of the Beliaghata ID hospital here, they said.

The man, who had gone to the UK for higher studies, had returned on Sunday.

"His swabs were collected and sent for examination. The reports revealed he contracted novel coronavirus," the official said.

The man's mother, who is a senior state government official, his father and their driver have been quarantined at a newly-set up facilty in Rajarhat area, he said.

"We are now trying to trace all the people who came in contact with him. We will also disinfect his vehicle," the official added.

Meanwhile, a woman in Pune tested positive for coronavirus taking the cases in Maharashtra to 42. 

A 28-year-old woman from Pune with a travel history to France and the Netherlands has tested positive for COVID-19, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Confirming the case, District Collector, Naval Kishore Ram said, "The woman returned India on March 15. She was admitted to hospitalhere on March 17".

A total of 147 cases of covid19 cases have been reported so far.