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‘Complete lockdown essential,’ says Mamata after Covid-19 figures jump in Bengal
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee escalated preparations for a worsening of the situation in the coming days. In addition to the three people who previously died of Covid 19, three more who died on Tuesday night and Monday morning are suspected to have been infected with the coronavirus.
The number of Covid-19 patients in West Bengal jumped from 27 on Tuesday to 37 on Wednesday, with three more people reportedly testing positive for the disease posthumously, the state’s daily bulletin on coronavirus revealed on Wednesday.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee escalated preparations for a worsening of the situation in the coming days. In addition to the three people who previously died of Covid 19, three more who died on Tuesday night and Monday morning are suspected to have been infected with the coronavirus.
“Two male persons both aged 57 years and one male person aged 62 years all having Severe Acute Respiratory illness expired. One of them had chronic renal failure, another had respiratory failure and the third one had hypertension and other co-morbid conditions. They had all reportedly tested positive, which is subject to confirmation,” the bulletin issued on Wednesday night said.
In the evening, a worried Banerjee held a meeting with the health task force comprising senior doctors to chalk out elaborate treatment plans. She also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, seeking a grant of Rs 25,000 crore, release of dues and relaxation of debt management.
In her letter to the prime minister, Banerjee wrote, “I earnestly urge you to sanction a grant of a minimum of Rs 25,000 crore for the state of West Bengal and release the funds still due to us from the Government of India, as per my earlier letter to you. To uphold the spirit of cooperative federalism, we need this minimum help from the central government to cope with the unprecedented impasse at this hour to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic,” Banerjee wrote in her letter.
Addressing the media, Banerjee insisted that “a complete lockdown” had become absolutely necessary to prevent the infection from entering “stage 3”, which is community transmission of the disease. She expressed dissatisfaction over a section of people who were not abiding by the lockdown and loitering on the streets.
“We are still in stage two. The coming two weeks are going to be very very critical and sensitive. We must ensure we do not reach the third phase. Lockdown must be made completely successful. I can see people still roaming around, chatting together. I plead before you like a sister, please do not do this. You’ll get enough time in life to play carom,” she said.
In a warning to those violating the lockdown, she said, “Do not play with fire”.
