Centre Asks West Bengal Govt To Review Covid Norms Amid Spike In Cases After Durga Puja

Kolkata has also reported an almost 27 per cent increase in positivity rate in the past week, from 5.6 per cent in the week ending October 14 to 7.1 per cent in the week ending October 21

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: While it was predicted that a third Covid wave may hit the country during the festival season, India has not seen much increase in the Covid tally. However, West Bengal is witnessing a spike in Covid cases after the Durga Puja.

Amid the rise in cases, the Centre has asked the West Bengal government to immediately undertake a review of cases and deaths, and stressed the importance of ensuring Covid-safe festivities.

In a letter to the West Bengal health secretary, issued on October 22, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said the state has reported 20,936 new cases and 343 fresh deaths in the last 30 days, accounting for 3.4 per cent of India's new cases and 4.7 per cent of fresh deaths in the same period, PTI reported.

Expressing concern over the rise in COVID-19 cases in Kolkata, he said the district has reported a high quantum of average daily new cases in the week ending October 21 along with more than 25 per cent increase over the past week — from 217 cases in the week ending October 14 to 272 cases in the week ending October 21.

Kolkata has also reported an almost 27 per cent increase in positivity rate in the past week, from 5.6 per cent in the week ending October 14 to 7.1 per cent in the week ending October 21, Bhushan said.

"With the ongoing festive season, it is crucial to emphasise the importance of Covid-safe festivities in order to maintain the collective gains made in the battle against this pandemic so far," the Union health secretary said.

The state must ensure strict adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour and focus on second dose vaccination coverage of all eligible beneficiaries, Bhushan said.

He said it has also been observed that cases surge exponentially in instances where basic public health strategy testing, tracking, treatment, Covid-appropriate behaviour and vaccination' is not followed rigorously.

Covid Status In West Bengal

West Bengal recorded just over 800 new Covid-19 cases for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, after registering nearly 1,000 infections for a couple of days, according to the health department data.

The state reported 806 new cases on Tuesday, one more than the previous day's figure, pushing the tally to 15,88,066, while 15 fresh fatalities took the death toll to 19,081.

The number of fresh coronavirus cases on Sunday and Saturday was 989 and 974 respectively.