With the state recording its second coronavirus positive patient, who too came from London, chief minister Mamata Banerjee today warned people who have come from abroad recently they would be taken to government quarantine centres if they do not remain in home quarantine for 14 days.

“We have been forced to issue a notification in this regard. One lakh people have come to Bengal from other countries. Unfortunately many people are not taking the matter seriously and instead of remaining in home isolation they are going outside. I would request such people not to go outside if they are supposed to remain in home isolation. Remember, the state government has the power whereby we can bring such people to our government quarantine centres if they do not maintain the social distance measures properly,” said Miss Banerjee at a Press Conference in Nabanna today.

State chief secretary Rajiva Sinha issued a notification earlier in the day. It read: “Since both the COVID19 positive cases in West Bengal had got infected abroad and carried the viral infection into Kolkata, the Health and Family Welfare Department, Govt of West Bengal appeals to all persons who have returned from abroad in the recent past, especially from UK, USA, Europe and the Gulf countries to necessarily confine themselves in home quarantine for a period of 14 days. Social distancing measures are a must for the containment of COVID19.”

Miss Banerjee complained that international flights are still landing in the city and that screening in the Kolkata airport was not being done properly. “Why wait till 22 March for flights to stop. If something has to be stopped why is it not being done immediately?” she questioned.

The government of India has banned all international flights to India from 22 to 29 March. The first patient, who came from UK on 15 March refused to get admitted for a test twice before he tested positive on 17 March. He met with friends, visited shopping malls and parks during this period.

The second coronavirus patient came from London on 13 March and was detected positive today. The man, who is pursing higher studies in the United Kingdom, had returned on 13 March and was admitted to the Beliaghata ID Hospital on Thursday with COVID-19 symptoms, officials said. The swabs of the patient were collected and the reports received from the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases confirmed that he had contracted the deadly virus, the health department official said.

The man, a resident of the Ballygunge area, too disregarded the advice for medical tests and had gone to restaurants, shopping malls and other public places in the city. “We are trying to ascertain the number of people who had come in contact with him,” the official added.