Covid surge prompts lockdown in 9 Bengal districts from Thursday

The state additionally noticed its lively caseload rise to 7,243. (Express Photo: Partha Paul)
The West Bengal authorities on Tuesday introduced a strict lockdown in revised containment zones in 9 districts — 4 in north Bengal, and 5 within the south, together with Kolkata and its adjoining districts — beginning Thursday 5 pm due to an enormous surge in instances over the previous week.

The authorities, nonetheless, didn’t point out how lengthy this lockdown spell will final. A lockdown is presently in pressure basically within the containment zones until July 31.

The order from Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay was issued on a day the state reported 850 infections, and a document 25 deaths that took the toll previous 800 to 804.

It was the fourth straight day of highest-single day spike in fatalities, and the third straight day of 800-plus jumps within the caseload.

The state additionally noticed its lively caseload rise to 7,243.

From the start of final week (June 29), West Bengal has added 6,554 infections to its caseload, and recorded 165 fatalities.

This alarming rise prompted the Covid-19 taskforce to fulfill on Tuesday afternoon, and within the night the Home Secretary’s order was issued to the district administrations of Darjeeling, Alipurduar, Uttar Dinajpur, Malda, Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas.

According to authorities officers, the brand new “broad-based” containment zones throughout the state have been earmarked after merging the present containment and buffer zones.

While Kolkata has 146 such zones, there are 219 zones in North 24 Parganas, 27 in Howrah, and 155 in South 24 Parganas. Of the infections reported since final week, 76% had been detected in Kolkata and its three adjoining districts North 24 Parganas, Howrah and South 24 Parganas. Hooghly noticed its lively caseload improve by 103 on this interval.

In Kolkata, components of Bhowanipore, Phoolbagan, Kankurgachi, Beliaghata, Ultadanga, Hudco, Alipore, Bijoygarh, Jadavpur, New Alipore, Kasba, Mukundapur, and Ajaynagar shall be in strict lockdown. On Tuesday, the principle administrative constructing of Jadavpur University was closed for 2 days after infections had been detected there.

In North 24 Parganas, sure areas in 17 wards of Bidhannagar Municipality, and main areas of the Barrackpore industrial space have been marked as containment zones. Quite a few jute mills on this space had reopened final month, however following this order there may be uncertainty about the way forward for their operations.
From the start of final week (June 29), West Bengal has added 6,554 infections to its caseload, and recorded 165 fatalities.
In South 24 Parganas, sure areas in Baruipur, Rajpur-Sonarpur, Budge-Budge, Thakurpukur, Pujali, and Maheshtala are on the listing of containment areas, whereas the curbs shall be imposed in sure areas in 25 wards in Howrah.

“The current concept of containment zones may be combined with the current concept of buffer zones, and together they may constitute a revised and broad-based containment zone approach. The broader containment zones may be subjected to strict lockdown, and the following activities, inter alia, may be closed in these areas: all offices like government and private, all non-essential activities, all congregations, all transportations, all marketing, industrial and trading activities. Residents of the containment zones may be exempted and prohibited from attending government and private offices. In fact, their ingress and egress may be strictly regulated,” Bandyopadhyay mentioned within the order.

A senior Department of Health official mentioned the federal government surveyed the “behavioural attitudes” of individuals, and located that many of the newest infections had been present in individuals within the 20-50 years age group.

“These people are allergic to maintaining social distance and wearing masks. Unlock phase and reopening transportation also caused a severe spread of the disease in the community, and as a result there have been huge spikes in cases in Kolkata and adjacent areas,” the official added.

A senior state secretariat official mentioned, “We have to minimise this rate if we want to restrict Covid-19 in our state. We have no other option other than a strict lockdown to arrest this pandemic. So, we decided to implement strict lockdown in those areas.”

In North Bengal, the federal government is alarmed by the scenario in Malda and Darjeeling districts. In Malda, district headquarters English Bazar and Old Malda city are among the many areas that shall be utterly closed. All outlets, besides these promoting important gadgets and pharmacies, will stay closed, whereas the vegetable market in English Bazar will stay open until 11 am. Private automobiles won’t be allowed on the highway.

Since final week, 325 instances have been detected in Malda and three individuals have died, whereas Darjeeling has recorded one demise and 256 infections.

Though the federal government has introduced lockdown in Alipurduar too, the district has been on the mend since final week, seeing its lively caseload drop from 64 to 11. Uttar Dinajpur, the fourth North Bengal district below the scanner, recorded a 21% rise in complete instances.

The state well being bulletin, by which figures are up to date until 9 am, reported that in 24 hours 10,130 samples had been examined, taking the cumulative variety of specimens examined to five,62,137. The check positivity fee continued to rise, climbing to 4.24%.

The authorities mentioned 11,241 migrant returnees and 5,294 different individuals had been nonetheless in authorities quarantine, whereas 38,694 individuals remained remoted at house and 311 individuals had been in secure houses.

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and keep up to date with the most recent headlines

For all the most recent India News, obtain Indian Express App.