The daily new Covid cases in Kolkata are gradually increasing over the past month, as revealed by bulletins published by the state health department.
The daily positive cases reported between Thursday and Sunday was above 140.
On Monday, the count dipped to 135. An official of the health department said the count reported on Monday was from 9am on Sunday to 9am on Monday.
“Since many laboratories stay shut on Sunday, the number of tests done on Sundays is lesser than other days of the week. That explains the drop in the Monday number,” said the official.
A week ago, much fewer tests were coming back positive. Between September 23 and 29, the number of daily new cases in Kolkata was around 130 on all days but one, when the number dropped below 80.
In the first week of September, the daily positive cases in the city ranged between 106 and 129.
Though the numbers are far less than what it was around the same time last year, doctors warned that reckless behaviour, such as being in a crowd without masks, could lead to a sharp rise soon.
The Telegraph reported on September 28 that the number of daily new Covid cases in Bengal was almost five times less compared with the count about a fortnight before Durga Puja last year. The recent rise in numbers has also led to an increase in hospital admissions.
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The RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences had 33 Covid patients admitted in the hospital on Sunday night. A week ago, the hospital had 24 Covid patients.
“Admissions have been rising. About 20 days ago, we had about 15 Covid patients in our hospital. The number had remained in that range for nearly one-and-a-half months till 20 days ago,” said R. Venkatesh, regional director, Narayana Health, which runs the Mukundapur hospital.
At Infectious Diseases Hospital in Beleghata, the number of patients getting admitted had increased in the past fortnight or so.
“Five patients were discharged from our hospital on Monday. Even after that we had 35 patients undergoing treatment. About a fortnight ago, we had between 20 and 22 patients,” said principal Anima Halder.
Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials said the bulk of the new cases were from boroughs VII, VIII, X, XI, XII, XIII and XIV.
Abhijit Chowdhury, a member of the state government’s Covid task force, warned against dropping the guard. “It is true that we are in a better situation than last year, but it is also true that the new daily Covid cases are rising over the past few days,” he said.
“Wear a mask even if you have taken both doses of a vaccine, stay away from crowded places and wash your hands frequently.”