Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan warns of 'worrying trend' as COVID cases rise in Bengal

Terming the current COVID-19 situation in West Bengal a 'concerning trend,' Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Friday, October 22 wrote a letter to Narayan Swaroop Nigam, Health Secretary of West Bengal. In the two page letter, the Union Health Secretary detailed upon COVID cases increase in the state in the last 30 days, which accounts for 3.4 per cent of cases of India's cumulative total and 4.7 per cent of new deaths. Additionally, the letter highlights special concerns for Kolkata as the district has registered a 27% increase in cases in one week. 

Centre's warning to Bengal:

"West Bengal reported 20,936 new cases and 343 new deaths in the last 30 days accounting to 3.4 per cent of India's new cases and 4.7 per cent of new deaths in the last 30 days," wrote Rajesh Bhushan. 

Kolkata- District of concern

Further explaining why Kolkata has been a district of concern, the Health Secretary wrote the district has reported nearly 27% rise in positivity rate in one week time ending on October 14. Additionally, the weekly testing trend is also showing a downward trend, warned the health secretary. 

"With the ongoing festive season, it is crucial to emphasise the importance of Covid-safe festivities to maintain the collective gains made in the battle against this pandemic so far. The current trend of increasing daily new cases and case positivity, if left unchecked, may lead to a situation where there is a severe strain on the health infrastructure and health workforce," Bhushan said.

West Bengal health experts warn citizens to remain vigilant

Dr Subhrojyoti Bhowmick, director of medicine at the Peerless Hospital in Kolkata, had issued a warning asking people to be extra cautious during the ongoing festive season as West Bengal continued to register a spike in coronavirus cases. While talking with ANI, Dr Bhowmik warned by saying that the festive season is still going on and if this pattern continues then the people of West Bengal might be in the same position which they were during the period of May and June 2020. He further described that taking two vaccine doses does not guarantee that people will not be infected. 

West Bengal on Monday reported 805 new cases of COVID-19, 184 less than the virus count registered on the previous day, according to a state health department bulletin.