Biggest 1-day spike in Bengal with 200 cases

KOLKATA

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As West Bengal struggles to restore normality four days after being struck by cyclone Amphan, the state on Sunday recorded its highest daily spike in Covid-19 cases, with more than 200 people detected with the viral infection for the first time on a single day. The spike is a major concern for the state because the areas worst hit by the cyclone are also the ones most affected by Covid-19.

The state government said 208 persons tested positive for the coronavirus disease on Sunday, taking Bengal’s tally to 3,667. The state recorded more than 100 cases for the first time on May 6, reporting 112 cases, and has reported another 2,211 cases, with an average of 123 cases per day.

The state has so far recorded 272 deaths, including 72 attributed to co-morbidity.

Kolkata, North 24-Parganas and Howrah that account for 2,934 of the total cases in the state have also been badly hit by the cyclone. These districts have most of the containment zones in the state.

Among Sunday’s new cases, 52 were from Kolkata, 48 from Howrah and 21 from North 24-Parganas. South 24-Parganas, the worst cyclone-hit district, recorded only four new cases but that was due to too few samples being tested as large parts of it remained cut off from the rest of the state even on Sunday, according to a senior official of the state health department.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has said that the state faces a great challenge in containing the spread of the disease, enforcing the lockdown and simultaneously carry out relief and restoration work for the damage caused by the storm.

“It’s going to be a humongous battle against nature to contain Covid-19 at this hour. We are getting reports from the districts that people are focussed on post-cyclone restoration. They are not caring about masks and social distancing. Thousands of people have been rendered homeless. They are trying to remove fallen trees and electric poles and repair breached embankments. The faster the restoration takes place, the earlier social distancing norms can be implemented again,” said public health expert Rezaul Karim.

Even on Sunday, the state witnessed demonstrations in Kolkata, Howrah and North 24-Parganas, even around areas where several persons tested positive for Covid-19, by people who demanded immediate restoration of power and water supply.

“We urge people to have patience and not to hit the streets. We are trying our best to give relief to the people but we should not forget that the storm was of great magnitude and we still are battling Covid-19,” urban development minister Firhad Hakim said.