Covid spike triggers political row; state logs ‘58 new cases’

Kolkata: Bengal reported 58 new active Covid cases in the last 24 hours, marking one of the highest single-day totals during the current wave, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.

According to the Covid dashboard on the website of the Union Health Ministry, it stated that the number of active Covid cases in Bengal has gone up to 596 so far in the current season. According to sources among the victims who tested positive for Covid, there was a 2-year-old child as well. State on Thursday logged as many as 106 positive cases.

In the beginning of May, the city had only a single Covid-positive case. By the end of the third week of May, 12 more individuals tested positive. Rapid spike began at the end of May. A political slugfest broke out on Friday over Covid cases after Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari accused the Bengal government of concealing the figure of the Covid affected people in the current wave. Minister of state for Health Chandrima Bhattacharya refuted Adhikari’s allegation. Bhattacharya said that Health is a state government’s issue. Adhikari said that Covid related information was not there on the state Health department’s website.

This at a time when the Covid cases are on the rise. In reply to Adhikari, Bhattacharya said: “We are not interested in what someone is saying. The Centre is aware of what we are doing. A meeting was held a few days ago by the Central government and I attended the meeting. Several issues were discussed. The Opposition leader may not know this. The Centre heaped praise after listening to what steps the Mamata Banerjee government has taken to check various diseases.” Health experts in the city said that there is an uptick in states like Kerala, Delhi, and Maharashtra as well. The infection is mild in almost all cases. The virus is likely to stay for a few more weeks. There is nothing to worry as most infections are mild. Though, there may be a few patients who will be vulnerable to severe infections if they have any comorbid issues.