Kolkata, Jul 5 (IANS): With the number of active cases coming down below 1,500 per day and the number of deaths below 30 for the last seven days, there has been marked improvement in the Covid situation in West Bengal.
The latest data released by the state health department shows that the number of new cases registered in the state is 1,297 on July 4 which was 9,242 in the beginning of the last month. Even on June 15 the number of cases was 3,268 which was nearly three times from the present number of new cases. Though the state infection of Covid has shown signs of slowing down but the administration is still worried about the situation of five districts.
According to the state health department, of the 1,297 new cases nearly 50 per cent of the cases are from Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, Darjeeling and East and West Midnapore. "On July 4, these five districts recorded 674 of the 1,297 cases. Interestingly enough in Darjeeling the number of cases is increasing steadily and we have informed North Bengal Medical College to take special measures for the hill districts. Apart from Darjeeling the situation of the other districts is under control. Though Kolkata and North 24 Parganas recorded a high number of cases, it is lower than what it was in the peak period," a senior health department official said.
Not only in new cases but the state has shown marked improvement in the number of Covid deaths as well. The state health data shows that in the last seven days the state has been successful in keeping the number of Covid related deaths below 30 and in the last 15 days it has not crossed 50. The state data also shows that there are at least 15 districts where no Covid related deaths have been registered since the beginning of July. These districts include Alipurduar Cooch Behar, Kalimpong, Malda, Murshidabad, Birbhum, Bankura, Purulia, East and West Burdwan, North and South Dinajpur and Nadia.
"We believe that the vaccination drive has taken off strongly in the state. The state government has primarily identified some super spreader groups and vaccinated them. This has resulted in putting a check on the spread of the disease. If the vaccination drive goes on at the same pace and manner then we hope that we will be able to control the third wave. It is our target to complete the vaccination of 60 per cent of the population before the third wave hits the state," the official added.