KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday morning lost her younger brother Ashim Banerjee to Covid-19 in Kolkata.
Ashim (60) used to reside with Mamata in the same house at Kalighat in south Kolkata.
He had tested positive for Covid-19 last month and was admitted to the Medica Superspecialty Hospital off EM Bypass in the state capital.
"He tested positive for Covid-19 and was under treatment. His condition started deteriorating from last night and he succumbed in the morning," said a doctor of the hospital.
Ashim will be cremated at the Nimtala crematorium in north Kolkata following Covid protocols.
The news came on a day when the West Bengal government announced a complete lockdown from Sunday till May 30 in order to contain the spread of COVID-19.
"We are taking some strict measures to contain the pandemic, starting Sunday 6 am till 6 pm of May 30," Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said.
During this period, all government and private offices, shopping complexes, malls, bars, sports complexes, pubs and beauty parlours will remain closed, he said.
Movement of private vehicles, taxis, buses, metro rail, suburban trains will also be disallowed during the 15- day lockdown period.
"Petrol pumps will remain open and essential services like milk, water, medicine, electricity, fire, law and order and media will not come under the purview of it," he added.
E-commerce and home delivery services will be allowed.
As per the Union Health Ministry, there are currently 1,31,792 active COVID-19 cases in West Bengal.
A total of 9,50,017 recoveries and 12,993 deaths have been reported so far.
(With PTI inputs)