Coronavirus daily update: Bengal sees highest single-day spike of 542 cases

West Bengal registered its highest single-day increase in the number of Covid-19 cases on Friday, with 542 fresh infections pushing the tally in the state to 16,190. The state's death toll rose by 10

West Bengal registered its highest single-day increase in the number of COVID-19 cases on Friday, recording 542 fresh infections that pushed the tally in the state to 16,190 as the number of fatalities due to the disease also rose by 10, officials said.

A total of 10,535 patients have so far recovered from the respiratory ailment in the state, a bulletin issued by the health department said.

Of the latest fatalities, eight patients died because of comorbidities where COVID-19 was incidental, it said, adding that the death toll due to the disease now stands at 616 in the state.

Four deaths were reported from Howrah, three from Kolkata and one each was reported from Hooghly, Darjeeling and South 24 Parganas, the bulletin said.

Since Thursday, 345 coronavirus patients have been discharged from various hospitals in the state, it said. The state has 5,039 active COVID-19 cases at present.

Kolkata accounted for the maximum number of 128 new infections, followed by Howrah (110), the bulletin said.

"The number of cases has been increasing every day and most of the fresh cases are asymptomatic," a senior health department official said.

At least 9,537 samples have been tested for the disease in the state since Thursday, the bulletin added.