Bengal cases cross 60,000: In a first, patients discharged exceed number of new cases

According to the health bulletin, in which figures are updated till 9 am, the state’s caseload crossed 60,000 to settle at 60,830 after the addition of 2,112 infections. The deaths of 39 patients pushed up the toll to 1,411.

About 67 per cent of the latest cases, and 31 of the latest fatalities were reported from the state’s pandemic epicentre in South Bengal comprising Kolkata; its adjoining districts North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and Howrah; and Hooghly. Most of the deaths in this region, 14, occurred in North 24 Parganas.

Two deaths each occurred in Birbhum and Darjeeling, and one each in Jalpaiguri, Malda, Purba Medinipur and Paschim Medinipur districts.

Among those infected in Kolkata were six policemen in the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate. Five of them were posted at the Lake police station, and one at the Bidhannagar East station, said a senior officer. The stations had been sanitised, the officer added.

“Those who had come in contact with these policemen will be tested. We are not taking any chance,” said the officer.

According to sources, three police personnel posted at the Onda police station in Bankura district have also tested positive for Covid-19 and they have been hospitalised.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health said a record 17,005 tests were conducted in 24 hours, taking the cumulative number of samples examined to 8,22,190. The state has conducted over 13,000 tests every day since July 16, and has seen the test positivity rate climb. It was a high 7.4 per cent on Monday.

According to the government, 3,528 people are still in government quarantine and 34,912 people are in home isolation. There are 1,403 people in safe homes.

With PTI inputs