Kolkata, Dec 22 (IANS): Two passengers who returned from the UK to Kolkata have tested positive for Covid-19, West Bengal health officials confirmed on Tuesday.

The flight landed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Saturday night carrying 222 passengers of which 25 did not have their Covid-19 reports. They were taken to the nearest Covid testing centre and two of them tested positive for coronavirus.

According to sources, one of them was admitted to the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital while the other was shifted to Rajarhat's CMCI. Their test samples were sent to Pune for further verification to confirm if they were carrying the new strain of coronavirus.

A new strain of the coronavirus has emerged in the UK sparking off serious panic in many countries, including India. The new strain of COVID-19, codenamed B117, has been widely tracked in the UK recently.

Other passengers who returned in the same flight that night but tested negative for Covid-19 were told to report to the state health department if they developed any symptoms during self-isolation, sources said.