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West Bengal Covid-19 Update: 6 More Deaths, Active Cases At 2,124

The total number of Covid-19 cases reported in Bengal rose 3,816.
People buy vegetables from a market in Kolkata after the government eased lockdown on May 25, 2020.
NurPhoto via Getty Images
People buy vegetables from a market in Kolkata after the government eased lockdown on May 25, 2020.

West Bengal on Monday reported 149 new Covid-19 cases and six more deaths even as the state came to term with the devastation left by Cyclone Amphan.

According to the state bulletin, the death toll without counting the 72 Covid-19 positive patients was at 206. However, the Union health ministry put it at 278, counting those 72 deaths.

2,124 active cases

The total number of Covid-19 cases reported in Bengal rose 3,816. The number of active cases was at 2,124.

The total number of patients discharged in the state rose to 1,414 after 75 people were discharged on Monday, the bulletin said.

The recovery rate in the state according to numbers shared by the government was 37.05%.

PTI reported that of the 149 new cases, 34 were reported in Malda district, followed by 28 in Kolkata, 14 in North Parganas, 13 each in Howrah and North Dinajpur, 10 in East Medinipur, seven in West Burdwan, five in Murshidabad, four in South 24 Parganas, three in East Burdwan, two each in Darjeeling and Birbhum, and one case each was reported in South Dinajpur and Nadia, the bulletin said.

So far, 1,48,049 have been tested in Bengal and the positivity rate, reported by the state government was at 2.58%.

New testing labs

West Bengal added 11 new testing laboratories to its list, one of which is still pending approval, taking the total number of testing labs in the state to 33.

A minister who was not named was quoted by The Telegraph as saying, “Among the 11 latest additions, we have Raiganj Medical College and Hospital, Asannsol District Hospital, Jhargram District Hospital, Rampurhat Medical College and Hospital, Suri District Hospital, Balurghat District Hospital, Falakata Super Speciality Hospital, and Diamond Harbour Government Medical College and Hospital, besides a couple more in Calcutta.”

“With these additions, our spread of testing centres across the state has vastly improved. This will enable considerable reduction in time and ease logistics. We estimate a sharper rise in testing over the next few weeks,” he added.

Flight guidelines

The state also issued guidelines for passengers entering the state through flights, saying they will have to submit a self-declaration saying they have not tested positive for Covid-19 in the past two months.

The declaration form has six separate declarations that also include delcaring that passengers do not have any symptoms like cough, fever or respiratory distress.

The form mandates that if the passenger develops any symptoms they would call authorities without any delay and that they would adhere to protocol on home quarantine.

The guidelines also said, “At airport, during boarding and travel, passengers shall use face covers/mask. They will also follow hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette and maintain social distancing norms.”

It said that all passengers will undergo health screening at point of departure and only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to board the plane.

The guidelines said, “On arrival, health screening shall be done for all the passengers. Asymptomatic passengers will be permitted to go with the advice that they shall self monitor their health for 14 days. In case they develop any
symptoms, they shall inform the local medical officer or state call centers”.

The guidelines said that samples will be collected for COVID test from all symptomatic passengers. They will be taken to the nearest health facility for sample collection and health condition assessment.

“Those, with moderate or severe symptoms, will be admitted to the
dedicated Covid health facility and managed accordingly,” the advisory said.

Those with mild symptoms will either be asked to quarantine at home or be sent to institutional isolation.

(With PTI inputs)

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.