3 die of COVID-19 in Bengal, death count 7

Three persons have died due to novel coronavirus in West Bengal, taking the number of COVID-19 deaths in the state to seven, a Health Department official said on Wednesday.

A 57-year-old man, who was admitted to a private hospital in Golabari area of Howrah district two days ago, died on Tuesday night, he said.

"We are trying to find out the travel history of the deceased and also whether he had come in contact with any infected person," the official said.

Another man, also of the same age, breathed his last at a hospital in Belghoria, North 24 Parganas district, early on Wednesday, he said.

The Belghoria resident had no history of travelling abroad or to any other state in India.

"The man was diabetic for the last 20 years and was hospitalised on March 23 with kidney ailment. He tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday night," the official said.

Later in the evening, a 66-year-old man, who had tested positive for COVID-19 last week and was also undergoing treatment for other ailments, died at a private hospital here.

However, there was no official confirmation from the state Health Department on whether the man from Nayabad area in the city died of the viral disease.

"He had underlying health problems, too. We need to find out what caused his death... we cannot comment more on this case for now," a Health Department official told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

He, however, said the elderly man would be cremated in accordance with the protocol set by the Health Department for COVID-19 deaths.

"We cannot take chances. His last rites will be performed following the protocol set for any person dying due to coronavirus," he said.

The sexagenarian had attended a wedding ceremony at Egra in East Midnapore recently. Four other persons who had attended the ceremony, along with him, have also tested positive.

Family members of all three deceased have been placed under quarantine, the official said.

Meanwhile, the bulletin released by the Health Department on Wednesday evening said seven more people, including three women, have tested positive for the disease, taking the total number of such cases in the state to 37.