Bengal on Saturday reported 2,949 new Covid-19 cases and 51 more deaths, on one hand, and 2,064 recoveries and 25,148 tests, on the other.

The total infection tally is now nearly 93,000, including the 65,000-odd recoveries.

In eight days in August, Bengal logged 22,427 new cases and 424 deaths, 16,750 recoveries and over 1.86 lakh tests.

The state on Saturday crossed 25,000 in total active Covid-19 cases and 2,000 in deaths.

Of the 51 deaths reported on Saturday, 20 were from Calcutta and 19 from North 24-Parganas. Of the 2,005 deaths reported so far, Calcutta accounted for 927 and North 24-Parganas 463.

“August seems to have begun dramatically, but the rise is both in good and not-so-good parameters,” said a minister.

“But we are also just a day from crossing 11 lakh tests and our recovery rate remains firm at 70.32 per cent,” said the minister. Bengal’s total test count now is 10.79 lakh, at 11,996 tests per million people.

The minister pointed out that Bengal was able to ramp up testing exponentially, from around 10,000 daily to 25,000 over the past couple of weeks.

“We are looking to take our tests per million to beyond 25,000 in the next few weeks,” he added.

Of the 2,949 new cases, Calcutta accounted for 670 and North 24-Parganas, 644. The two districts, which have contributed 51 per cent of all Covid-19 cases recorded in Bengal since the onset of the pandemic, now have 50 per cent of active positive cases. But the two added over 33,000 recoveries as well.

“In eight days, these two districts alone reported over 10,000 new cases and 289 deaths. These two districts are being handled by most senior and able administrators, who are determined to rein in the outbreak,” said the minister.

The state government reported 1,769, or 88.2 per cent, as deaths with comorbidity “present”. Of the 424 deaths in these eight days, 401 were reported as co-morbid by the state.

“Hypertension remains the most lethal co-morbidity, followed by diabetes and cardiac ailments…. The 61-75 age group continues to be the most vulnerable to death in case of infection, in absolute numbers,” said the minister.

Bengal’s overall mortality rate improved to 2.16, from 2.25 over the eight days. The national rate is now 2.02 per cent.

The mortality rate in infected males is now down to 2.32, while that in infected females improved to 1.86 per cent.

Bengal reported 38.09 per cent occupancy in the 11,560 beds earmarked for Covid-19 in the 83 dedicated hospitals for the pandemic.

Lockdown off in hills

The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) that had clamped a two-week long lockdown across the hills has decided not extend it from Sunday.

Sources said the decision was taken after a slight drop in cases in the urban areas under the GTA, but the administration said it was keeping a close watch on the situation and would act accordingly.

Anit Thapa, chairperson of the board of administrators of the GTA, said: “We thank people of the GTA region who followed the lockdown strictly for two weeks. We are monitoring the situation. If required, there will be a lockdown in containment zones. However, there will be no further extension of the lockdown.”

In a similar manner, the subdivisional administration of Dinhata in Cooch Behar district decided to de-notify the entire Dinhata civic area that had been declared a containment zone on July 16. “We will, however, keep marking areas as containment zones in the town if fresh Covid-19 cases are reported,” an official said.

These decisions have come as a big relief for hill residents and those in Dinhata.

However, the number of Covid-19 cases keeps rising in north Bengal, particularly in Malda and Darjeeling districts. In each of the districts, the number of infections have inched closer to 3,000. In Darjeeling, 35 people have died so far of Covid.

Among other districts, more than 1,200 people in each district — North and South Dinajpurs, Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri — have been infected by the novel coronavirus.

“The number of cases is comparatively less in Kalimpong and Alipurduar districts. However, in the recent weeks, cases of Covid infections have been reported even from the smaller hamlets and remote areas in the hills. We are keeping a close watch over the situation,” said a source in the state health department.

Covid suicide

Ajit Mahato, 43, a contract worker who was tested Covid positive in South Dinajpur district, leapt to his death on Saturday morning from the roof of an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Bansihari.

The building is being used as a safe home. Mahato, who came from Bhaior village of Bansihari block, had been staying at the safe home for the past few days.

Police said a probe was on.