Kolkata/Balurghat: Bengal witnessed the highest number of Covid infected cases in the past 24 hours as the figure went up to 2,436 on Thursday.
The total number of affected patients in the state reached 51,757 so far.
The state government also carried out a record number of sample tests in the past 24 hours as the figure stood at 14,558 on Thursday. The total number of sample tests done so far across the state has reached 7,58,027. The percentage of positive cases out of the sample tested stood at 6.83 per cent on Thursday.
Bengal on Thursday has registered the recovery of 2,006 Covid patients in a single day which is also a record. Despite the infection rate going up, the state managed to come close to 15,000 marks in case of single day testing. The discharge rate of the recovered patients also sends a signal. Around 31,656 Covid patients have been released from various hospitals till Thursday. The discharge rate of the state stands at 60.16 per cent.
Around 34 persons have died in the past 24 hours and the total death toll across the state has reached 1,255 in the state so far. Kolkata has seen 795 new COVID cases in the past 24 hours. The total number of infected patients in Kolkata has so far reached 16,127. Around 19 persons from the city have died in the past 24 hours. North 24-parganas saw 545 new cases on Thursday. The district has so far registered a total 10,775 cases. Around 6 persons from North 24-Parganas died in the past 24 hours. Apart from Kolkata the infection is the highest in North 24-Parganas.
South 24-Parganas witnessed 173 new Covid cases and the total number of affected patients has reached 3,975 in South 24-Parganas on Thursday. Howrah has registered 303 fresh cases while Hooghly saw 87 new cases. Around 3 persons died in Howrah in the past 24 hours. The total number of infected patients in Howrah has gone up to 6,067 and Hooghly saw a total 2,526 positive cases. South Dinajpur on Wednesday registered 38 new cases and the total cases in the districts remains at 869. Malda has seen 56 new cases and the total number of infected patients has reached 1,941 till date.
Meanwhile, an 80-bed capacity Covid hospital will start functioning from Sunday in South Dinajpur district.
It has been decided that Balurghat Youth Hostel will be turned into a full-fledged Level-4 Covid hospital.
"It will have 80-bed capacity. A few pending tasks that are still left will be completed positively by Friday. District health department will admit critical symptomatic and mild-symptomatic patients from Sunday. I will be the only COVID hospital in the district.
Prayas Atreyee Eye Hospital, which was converted as Novel Corona Hospital a few months ago will no longer be a COVID hospital," said an official.
The hospital will have pulse-oximeters, ventilators, oxygen-cylinders, multi-screen monitors and X-Ray machines. Of 80 beds, 10 will be reserved for critical care units. There will be separate rooms for doctors, nurses and other health personnel/staff, it is learnt.