Bengal extends lockdown in containment zones till July 19

Kolkata: The state government on Tuesday announced the extension of lockdown at broad-based containment zones in the state till July 19 to put a check on the spike in COVID-19 cases.

At the same time, "town-wide lockdown" will be imposed in five North Bengal towns — Jalpaiguri, Siliguri, Malda, Cooch Behar and Raiganj — from Wednesday. The decision has been taken after noticing a high prevalence of positive cases in these "congested towns" in North Bengal.

Strict implementation of lockdown norms will continue in the containment zones in Kolkata and its surrounding areas as 318 people tested positive in the past 24 hours taking the total number of active cases to 4,431 and causing 523 deaths in the city itself. While there are 12,575 total active cases at present in the state in the past 24 hours, as many as 1,390 people tested positive with 718 being released from hospitals after getting cured.

The state government had introduced the concept of broad-based containment zones by clubbing containment zones with buffer zones and imposed strict lockdown in these areas for seven days from 5 pm on July 9. The Bengal government had then stated that a decision on extension of the lockdown in the containment zones will be taken only after reviewing the situation after a week.

All speculations ended after Additional Chief Secretary of the state Home department Alapan Bandyopadhyay shot a letter to all District Magistrates stating that "this is to further direct that the order shall remain in force till July 19."

During the lockdown at the containment zones and in the five North Bengal towns, no government or private offices, plying of vehicles, congregation of people, running of factories and trade will be allowed.