Biggest 1-day spike in Bengal with 200 cases

KOLKATA: As West Bengal struggles to restore normalcy four days after cyclone Amphan hit, the state on Sunday recorded its highest daily spike in Covid-19 cases, with more than 200 infections. The spike is a major concern 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 disease on Sunday, taking Bengal’s tally to 3,667. It recorded over 100 cases for the first time on May 6. 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, according to a senior official of the health department.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has said that the state faces a great challenge. “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.