West Bengal: Lockdown to be enforced across state twice a week amid surge in COVID cases

Amid the surge in COVID-19 cases, West Bengal Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay has announced a complete lockdown across the state twice a week to break the chain of transmission. In the following week, a complete lockdown will be observed on Thursday and Saturday. The Bengal Home Secretary added that the decision has been taken after reports of community transmission surfaced. Apart from the weekly two-day lockdown, the 'broad-based' lockdown will continue in the state.

The government has also announced that all banks across the state will remain closed on all Saturdays and Sundays. The banks have been instructed to remain open from 10 am to 2 pm on working days. 

READ | Bengal's COVID-19 Death Toll Reaches 1,112, Tally Soars To 42,487

The state witnessed 2,278 fresh cases of COVID-19 on Sunday taking the total tally in the state to 42,487. The number of active cases in the state has also increased to 16,492 while the total death toll has reached 1,112. The state health department has reported that the number of total samples tested till July 19 is 7,03,284. The West Bengal Home Department had earlier said that the containment zone-based COVID-19 lockdown strategy being followed across the state shall continue till July 31.

Meanwhile, the West Bengal government has added 63 areas to the list of 'broad-based' containment zones in the state, increasing the count to 739, amid the strict lockdown clamped in all such places to stem the spread of the coronavirus disease, a senior official said on Sunday. The number of such zones in Kolkata has increased to 32 from 24, with the metropolis continuing to record the maximum number of COVID-19 cases in the state every day, he said.

READ | 63 More Areas Added To List Of Containment Zones In Bengal

Currently, North 24 Parganas district has the highest number of containment zones at 113 with the addition of 18 more areas, while South 24 Parganas has 67, up by 12, according to the state government's website 'Egiye Bangla'.

'No need to panic'

The West Bengal government on Saturday said there was no need to panic as the COVID-19 situation in the state was under control. Addressing a press conference, Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha also ruled out the possibility of clamping a total lockdown in Kolkata or across the state, asserting that the restrictions would be enforced strictly only in containment zones. He said the spike in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the state was normal as "more the number of tests, more the number of cases".

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