West Bengal reimposes restrictions, limits flights from Delhi, Mumbai

With more than a 10-fold rise in Covid cases in just six days, the West Bengal government on Sunday reimposed stricter restrictions till January 15 .

With more than a 14-fold rise in Covid cases in just seven days, the West Bengal government on Sunday reimposed stricter restrictions till January 15 by closing schools and colleges, limiting the workforce across offices and restricting flights from Delhi and Mumbai.

A policeman puts a mask on a child during a Covid awareness campaign and masks distribution by Kolkata Police in view of rising cases, at New Market, in Kolkata on Sunday. (ANI)

While the curbs on flights from the two cities will come into effect from January 5, the remaining will be implemented from Monday.

Addressing reporters here, chief secretary HK Dwivedi said only essential services will be permitted to operate between 10 pm and 5 am in the state, and flights from Mumbai and New Delhi, which have both reported a large number of infections, will ply only on Mondays and Fridays.

The state has already banned direct flights from the UK till further notice.

“All academic activities in schools, colleges and universities will remain closed. Government and private offices will continue with 50% of the workforce at a time. Local trains will operate with 50% of the seating capacity up to 7 pm,” Dwivedi said.

The state government also reimposed a night curfew, from 10 pm to 5 am, which was lifted between December 24 and January 1 in view of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

While 439 cases were reported on December 27, the number jumped to 6,513 on Sunday.

Data available with the Union health ministry indicated that Kolkata’s weekly (December 24 – 31) positivity rate stood at 23.4%.

“Even though cases have shot up, there is no need to panic. We have reviewed the health infrastructure, including hospital beds and oxygen support. There is no shortage,” Dwivedi said.