West Bengal on Monday reported 426 new Covid-19 cases in the state and nine more deaths from the novel coronavirus, the state bulletin said.
The Mamata Banerjee government decided to extend lockdown in containment zones till June 30.
Meanwhile, 50 workers of the NDRF who were involved in cyclone Amphan rescue operations tested positive.
4,743 active cases
West Bengal now has a total of 8,613 cases and 4,743 active cases. The death toll in the state stood at 405, according to the state government bulletin.
West Bengal finally decided to include the death of 72 Covid-19 positive patients in its tally, while their deaths had been categorised as “co-morbid” deaths earlier.
The bulletin said that 3,465 people had so far been discharged after recovery.
The state has so far carried out 2,80,098 tests.
Risk zones to be under lockdown till June 30
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced that the lockdown in the state will be extended till June 30 in Bengal’s containment zones.
“The lockdown is being extended in the state till June 30, with existing relaxations and conditions still in place,” Banerjee said.
Anandabazar Patrika reported that now, instead of an entire locality or area, stand-alone homes, apartment buildings, or multi-storeys are being signified as containment areas.
“Earlier, we had allowed only 10 people at places of worship and social programmes such as a marriage or a funeral ceremony, now we have increased it to 25,” she said after a meeting of the state cabinet.
The TMC government eased lockdown curbs from June 1, allowing places of worship to reopen, and jute, tea and construction sectors to recommence full-fledged operations.
50 NDRF test positive
At least 50 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel deployed during Cyclone Amphan in West Bengal have tested positive for COVID-19, PTI reported officials as saying on Monday.
They said more than 170 personnel have been tested till now after they returned to their base in Cuttack, Odisha, from the cyclone-affected West Bengal.
The personnel were tested on the basis of contact tracing after one of them deployed in West Bengal was found infected a few days ago.
At least 50 personnel who were deployed for Cyclone Amphan have tested positive for coronavirus till now, a senior officer of the federal contingency force said.
Almost all of them are asymptomatic. More tests are being done, he added.
Those found positive have been admitted to hospital isolation facilities, the PTI report said.
(With PTI inputs)