Mamata’s younger brother Ashim Banerjee dies after battling Covid-19 for a month

New Delhi: Ashim Banerjee, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s younger brother died of Covid-related complications at a hospital in Kolkata on Saturday.

62-year-old Ashim Banerjee had contracted the coronavirus last month, the hospital said in a statement.

“He had tested positive for COVID-19 and was undergoing treatment,” Dr Alok Roy, chairman of Medica Superspecialty Hospital in Kolkata said.

A senior doctor at the hospital said Ashim Banerjee died around 9:20 am.

“He was detected with Covid-19 last month and was undergoing treatment for almost a month now. He had certain comorbidities such as hypertension,” the doctor said.

Ashim Banerjee stayed in the same house where Mamata Banerjee, 66, lives. His last rites will be performed at Nimtala cremation ground today with Covid protocols.

Bengal has registered its highest single-day spike of 20,846 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 10,94,802, the health department said in its bulletin on Friday. The toll rose to 12,993 after 136 more people, including five eminent doctors, succumbed to the infection