12 more test positive for COVID-19 in Bengal, 3 discharged after recovery

Twelve more people tested positive for COVID-19 in West Bengal, taking total number of active cases in state to 80, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said here on Thursday. Banerjee, who chaired a meeting of trade and industry representatives at Nabanna, state secretariat, also said that three persons were discharged from hospital following recovery.

"Till yesterday, number of active cases stood at 71. Today, three persons were released, but 12 fresh cases were reported. total number of active cases w stands at 80 in Bengal," Banerjee said. Among 12 are a health worker and medical superintendent-cum-vice principal (MSVP) of a state-run hospital in Howrah, chief minister said.

Family members of MSVP and health worker have been placed under quarantine.

chief minister, however, took solace in fact that 79 medical staffers at city’s Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College, where a patient died last week, have tested negative for disease.

"All 79 people including doctors, nurses and health workers at Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College have tested negative for coronavirus, and this is good news,” she said.

Maintaining that she was unsure how long lockdown would continue, Banerjee stressed that even if shutdown remains in force, "things have to be looked into from a humane point of view to ensure that common people don't starve".

"I cant say how long this lockdown will continue. re are so many occasions lined up...yesterday re was Shab-a-Barat, n re is Bengali New Year in a few days, next comes 'charak mela', but people cant gar or celebrate due to lockdown...,” she said.

“We will be meeting (a scheduled meeting with PM) on April 11 to review situation. But if lockdown continues, we must see things from a humanitarian point of view so that people do t starve to death.... we have to maintain a balance," Banerjee said.

government has set up 711 camps, where it is feeding two lakh migrant labourers and ors stranded in state since April 1, she said.

"Our government is feeding two lakh migrant labourers and stranded people from 16 or states. Most of se people are being taken care of by our government... Some NGOs have also come forward to help. This (initiative) will continue till time it's needed," she said.

chief minister also said that chances of schools reopening were quite slim, and that dry rations to beneficiaries of mid-day meals will be distributed in first week of May.

state government on Thursday launched a mobile app 'Sandhane' for ASHA workers - who would conduct surveys and upload information on areas, where people in large numbers were exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. administration, with help of information from app, will earmark vulnerable areas and take necessary action to contain spread of disease.

Showing a map prepared by government on clusters where a number of people were found infected, Banerjee said eight hotspots have been identified in Bengal.

"We have to control it ( spread of COVID-19) in se areas. My officials have done a very good job. We have to concentrate more on Howrah," she said. So far, 104 people have been infected by vel coronavirus in West Bengal. Of m five have died, and 19 recovered from disease.