Bengal posts record single-day jump of 15,889 COVID cases, 57 more deaths

KOLKATA: West Bengal on Sunday registered its highest single-day spike of 15,889 COVID-19 cases pushing the tally to 7,43,950, the bulletin issued by the state health department said.

The death toll rose to 10,941 as 57 more people succumbed to the disease, it said.

Of the fresh fatalities, 18 were reported from Kolkata, 15 from North 24 Parganas and 5 from Howrah.

The remaining deaths were registered in several other districts.

Six rounds of the eight-phased assembly elections in West Bengal have already taken place, amid a raging second wave of COVID-19 cases, and the remaining two will be held on April 26 and 29.

Earlier in the day, TMC candidate from Khardah assembly constituency Kajal Sinha, who had tested positive for COVID-19, died at a hospital here.

Recently, Pradip Kumar Nandi, the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP)candidate from Jangipur seat, and Congress nominee from Samserganj constituency Rezaul Haque succumbed to the disease.

The new infections included 3,779 from Kolkata and 3,140 from North 24 Parganas.

Union Minister Babul Supriyo said he has tested positive for COVID-19 for the second time and would not be able to vote in Asansol on April 26.

His wife was also diagnosed with the disease.

Supriyo, a two-time MP from Asansol, is contesting the assembly election from Tollygunge seat where voting was held on April 10.

Following the surge in coronavirus cases across the country, the EC has banned roadshows and vehicle rallies in the state and noted that the COVID safety norms were being flouted in West Bengal during campaigning.

It also disallowed any public meeting with more than 500 people.

At least 8,407 people were cured of the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries to 6,44,209 in the state.

The number of active cases currently stands at 88,800, the bulletin said.

The state has so far conducted 1,01,66,796 sample tests for COVID-19, including 55,600 since Saturday, it added.