Bengal logs 21,098 fresh infections, 19 more deaths as active cases breach 1-lakh mark

(Eds: Adds details) Kolkata, Jan 11 (PTI) The number of active COVID-19 cases in West Bengal breached the 1-lakh mark on Tuesday as 21,098 more people tested positive for the infection, 1,812 more than the previous day, taking the state's caseload to 17,95,430, a health bulletin said.

Nineteen fresh fatalities pushed the death toll to 19,936, with Kolkata reporting six of the mortalities.

The eastern metropolis registered 6,565 infections, 1,009 more than the previous day, while its neighbouring North 24 Parganas recorded 4,016 cases, it said, adding that the positivity rate improved to 32.35 per cent from 37.32 per cent on the previous day.

Howrah district registered 1,815 new cases, followed by South 24 Parganas (1,305) and Paschim Bardhaman (1,109), it said.

The state now has 1,02,236 active cases as 13,042 were added to the previous day's count. A total of 16,73,258 patients have recovered from the disease so far, including 8,037 in the last 24 hours, the bulletin said, adding that the discharge rate marginally dipped to 93.20 per cent.

The administration has thus far tested over 2,19,91,090 samples for COVID-19, including 65,210 in the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the West Bengal government has decided to write to the Centre over the issue of CoWIN application showing a lesser number of people who have received the second COVID vaccine dose in the state than the actual count.

"The state health secretary, as per direction of Chief Secretary H K Dwivedi, will write to the Union Health Ministry urging the Centre to close the gap," a well-placed government source said. PTI SCH ACD ACD