Telugu actor and director Charmme Kaur on Monday faced flak from many for making insensitive comments in a TikTok video after Telangana and Delhi reported their first coronavirus cases.
"All the best guys. You know why? Because coronavirus has arrived in Delhi and Telangana. That's what I have heard and that's what is in the news. All the best guys, coronavirus has arrived," she said in the video before signing off with laughter.
The video went viral on social media platforms with many slamming her for being insensitive towards the threat from a deadly virus.
"She must be thinking it is a name of an ice cream," tweeted social activist Sunitha Krishnan, who was admitted to a hospital in Hyderabad on Monday with suspected symptoms of COVID-19 after her return from Bangkok.
She must be thinking it is a name of an ice cream!!!
— sunitha krishnan (@sunita_krishnan) March 2, 2020
Charmme later deleted the controversial video, which was originally posted on TikTok, from all her social media platforms.
She also issued an apology, tweeting, "I have read all your comments and I apologise for the video posted...it was an act of immaturity for a very sensitive topic and hence, shall be careful in my further reactions."
I have read all ur comments n I apologise for the video posted .. it was an act of immaturity for a very sensitive topic , n hence shall be carefull in my further reactions as it was of least knowledge to me the rounds it created .. pic.twitter.com/mXT95O1tFL
— Charmme Kaur (@Charmmeofficial) March 2, 2020
Telangana and Delhi have reported first COVID-19 positive cases. A 24-year-old software engineer was admitted in the isolation ward of government-run Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad after he tested positive.
The techie, working for a Bengaluru-based software firm, had recently returned from Dubai. Authorities are trying to identify those who came in contact with him to screen them for the virus.
IANS inputs