West Bengal: Doctors forum urge CM Mamata to ensure 'transparency' in COVID-19 data

Amid the COVID-19 lockdown, West Bengal Doctors Forum (WBDF) wrote a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, putting forward some suggestions for perusal. This comes after CM Banerjee on Thursday said that twelve more people tested positive for COVID-19 in West Bengal, taking the total number of active cases in the state to 80. She said that three persons were discharged from the hospital following recovery.

The letter suggested measures like strict patient containment, segregation of suspected patients, a significant number of health care workers. However, the most crucial point in the letter stated that all data collected and published should be transparent, genuine and verifiable as doctors can't afford to send wrong signals to the world. 

READ: Coronavirus LIVE Updates: PM Modi interacts with all CMs on lockdown, total cases at 7447

Mamata Banerjee May Ease Restrictions On Few Sectors After 21-day Lockdown

After chairing a meeting of trade and industry representatives at Nabanna, the state secretariat, on Thursday evening, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said her government is exploring the option of granting a partial relaxation to the transport sector and allowing some industries to operate with a small workforce. While she said that state government will support Centre's decision on lockdown extension after April 14, she added that she may ease some restriction for the welfare of her state amid coronavirus outbreak. 

After a meeting with trade and industry representatives, Banerjee said the state government is contemplating the idea of minimal transportation like giving a go-ahead to taxis to hit the streets again, but carrying not more than four persons, including the driver. "We have already allowed home delivery of food and other goods. Some kind of transportation is needed (for the movement of various goods) but not in a mass manner. But whatever we do, it has to be done honouring the lockdown for the sake of human lives," she said.

READ: PM Modi interacts with all states' CMs to decide on extension of nationwide Covid lockdown

Meanwhile, as per health ministry, India has conducted 1,44,910 tests on 130,792 suspected COVID-19 patients in 146 government and 67 private laboratories. The country till Saturday reported 1035 new cases in the last 24 hours, the sharpest ever increase in cases and 40 deaths, bringing the number of confirmed cases to 7447. Over 642 patients have recovered and been discharged. 

READ: West Bengal: KMC contradicts State Govt's COVID-19 death toll, BJP targets TMC

READ: WB CM Mamata Banerjee may ease restrictions on few sectors after 21-day lockdown