West Bengal reports record 4,029 new coronavirus cases, 61 deaths

The COVID-19 tally in West Bengal mounted to 3,29,057 on Tuesday after the state reported a record spike of 4,029 fresh cases, the health department said in a bulletin.

The death toll rose to 6,180 as 61 more people succumbed to the disease.

The bulletin also said that 3,383 patients were cured of the infection in the last 24 hours in the state and the discharge rate now stands at 87.43 per cent.

West Bengal currently has 35,170 active cases, while 2,87,707 people have recovered from the disease.

Kolkata reported the maximum number of new fatalities at 17, followed by North 24 Parganas at 13, Howrah at six, and South 24 Parganas at three, the bulletin said.

Two fresh deaths each were registered in Hooghly, West Medinipur, Purulia, Nadia, Birbhum, Murshidabad, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri and Coochbehar, and one each in Bankura and Malda.

Of the 61 deaths, 51 were primarily due to comorbidities where COVID-19 was incidental.

The new cases included 871 from North 24 Parganas, 809 from Kolkata, 247 from Howrah, 225 from South 24 Parganas, and 211 from Hooghly, the bulletin said.

Since Monday, 43,762 samples were tested for COVID-19 in the state, taking the total number of such clinical examinations to 40,78,651, it added.

Amid the rising trend of fresh coronavirus cases, the West Bengal government on Tuesday announced that over 2,000 beds are being added in the state-run health facilities during the festive season.

The government said, in a notification, that the health department has made arrangements for 1,639 beds in various state hospitals for treatment of COVID-19 patients.

"The increase/augmentation/extension of such facilities for COVID-19 patients will be at state hospitals, in government expense and free of cost for the patients," the notification said.

There will also be additional 535 ICU beds for critical care COVID patients, which will provide at free of cost, it said.

Several beds will also be added in private hospitals for treatment of coronavirus patients, it added.