After West Bengal reports surge in COVID-19 cases, state govt boosts health infrastructure

West Bengal Home Secretary Alapan Bandhopadhyay announced that the state has 8036 beds for COVID-19 specific cases and 67 COVID hospitals on Wednesday. The statement by the senior bureaucrat in the Mamata Banerjee government came amidst major controversy where BJP has time and again claimed that the state is not being able to tackle the COVID-19 crisis.

"Samples tested in the last 24 hours is 2570 which the state claims are the highest in a single day. The state has ramped up medical facilities to tackle the pandemic with 67 COVID only hospitals in the state and a bed capacity of 8036, 860 ICU beds, and 271 ventilators. 30 ventilators are in use as of now," stated Bengal's Home Secretary.

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Mamata Banerjee announces COVID-only hospital

The number of positive COVID-19 cases in West Bengal rose by 112 on Wednesday with 4 deaths reported, taking the total active cases to 1047 and death toll to 74. Co-morbidity figures include another 72 which means death was due to other reasons and COVID-19 was incidental. The day also saw the announcement that the heritage and iconic Medical College in Kolkata will be the 68th COVID-only hospital. The announcement was made by the Chief Minister herself. 

"Keeping in view the increasing need of ramping up specialized COVID treatment in the state, we have decided to notify Medical College, Kolkata as a full-fledged tertiary level COVID Hospital, which will start functioning from 7th May 2020 onwards." read Mamata Banerjee's tweet. Mamata Banerjee also stated that the facility at Medical College in Kolkata will start with 500 beds for both COVID and SARI, which would be scaled up as per need, in phases.

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