Kolkata: Bengal has seen the highest single day spike of COVID-19 cases on Thursday as the number has gone up to 1,088. The total number of affected persons stands at 25,911 across the state till Thursday.
Out of the total number of COVID affected persons in the state, around 16,826 patients have been released from various hospitals so far till Thursday. As many as 535 patients were released from the hospitals after being cured in the past 24 hours. The discharge rate of the state stands at 64.93 per cent. The state has carried out 10,805 sample tests in the past 24 hours and the total number of samples tested across the state so far has gone up to 5,83,328. The percentage of positive cases out of sample tested stands at 4.44 per cent on Thursday.
The total death toll across the state has reached 854 in the state on Thursday out of which 27 persons have died of the disease in the past 24 hours. Kolkata has seen 322 new COVID cases in the past 24 hours. The total number of infected patients in Kolkata has so far reached 8,368. Around 264 new cases have been found in North 24-parganas in the past 24 hours which is the highest single day spike in the district so far. The total number of affected persons in North 24-parganas has reached 4,617. Howrah has seen a total 3,565 cases so far out of which 167 patients have been reported on Thursday. Around 88 new patients tested positive from South 24-Parganas and 53 new cases in Hooghly. The total number of affected patients in Hooghly has gone up to 1,347 while in South 24-Parganas the figure stands at 1,814. Darjeeling has seen 20 fresh cases on Thursday, Malda 48 new cases, Jalpaiguri 34, South Dinajpur 31 and Bankura 11 new cases in the past 24 hours.
Incidentally, Dr Tapan Kumar Saha who was currently posted as the Chief Medical officer of health in North 24-Parganas has been transferred and posted as ADHS, Swasthya Bhavan. Dr Tapas Kumar Roy, who was presently posted as ADHS (EPI) at Swasthya Bhavan will take charge as the new CMoH of North 24-parganas.
In another development, the top official of the NICED Kolkata who was affected with COVID-19 was released from a private hospital in the city on Wednesday night. She tested positive for the virus on June 30. She was initially kept under home isolation and she was taken to a private hospital later as she developed lung infection.
Meanwhile, two senior officials of the Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC) have tested positive for the COVID-19. According to sources nearly 42 people have come in close contact with the affected ones. As per the unconfirmed sources, around 20 staff members of the HMC might also get affected by the virus. Sanitization drive has been taken. Those who came in close contact with the infected persons have been asked to remain under home quarantine.