The coronavirus death toll in West Bengal crossed the 2,000 mark on Sunday with 54 more people dying of the disease. So far 2,059 people in West Bengal have died of Covid-19.
According to the government bulletin, 2,939 people tested positive for the novel coronavirus, taking the total number of cases to 95,554.
The number of active cases in the state is at 26,375.
Covid-19 cases in West Bengal have steadily continued to rise in West Bengal despite the lockdown announced by the state.
However, according to the state government bulletin, the discharge rate in Bengal is also pretty high. As of Sunday the discharge rate was 70.24%. A total of 67,120 have been discharged, the bulletin said.
Increase in testing
The government had said last week, the number of cases was also on the rise because on increased testing and there was nothing to fear.
The state has carried out a total of 11,05,899 tests till Sunday. On Sunday itself it carried out 26,242.
The rate of positive cases of the samples tested was 8.64%.
A minister anonymously told The Telegraph that while it took Bengal over three months to conduct one lakh tests (from May to February), it crossed the latest one lakh in just four days.
“We crossed 2 lakh in 12 days (on May 31), 3 lakh in 11 days (on June 11), 4 lakh in 10 days (on June 21), 5 lakh in 11 days (on July 2), 6 lakh in nine days (on July 11), 7 lakh in eight days (on July 19), 8 lakh in seven days (on July 26), 9 lakh in six days (on August 1) and 10 lakh in four days (on August 5),” the minister told The Telegraph.
Bengal has a total of 60 testing labs.
While Bengal’s Covid mortality rates were high in the first few months, experts had said it was because of low testing.
Economist Abhijit Banerjee says ‘victory over corona certain’
While the Bengal government has been requesting people with mild symptoms to get treated at home, West Bengal global advisory board chief economist Abhijit Banerjee said on Sunday reiterated the same.
Anandabazar Patrika quoted him as saying, “Our victory in the corona is certain. The scientific and liberal mindset, that Bengal is know for across the world, should not be lost. People who have been very sick need to get treated in hospitals. It is best for others to get treated at home or at government care centres. If people get admitted to hospital for no reason, those who really need it won’t find beds.”
Banerjee only reiterated the government’s stand on the issue, which it has said, was to ensure availability of beds .