The Mamata Banerjee government on Tuesday put the death toll from Covid-19 at 15 with three more fatalities and the total number of active patients at 274 of whom 29 were new cases.

Chief secretary Rajiva Sinha has said Bengal still has nine districts — Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, Malda, Bankura, Birbhum, Purulia and Jhargram — with zero cases.

“The number of active positive cases was 245 on Monday. There were 29 new cases on Tuesday. While that is a substantial reduction from Monday’s 54 (the highest 24-hour rise so far), no inference can be drawn on the basis of one-day (figure),” said Sinha

He said the 29 new cases had been reported from Calcutta, Howrah, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Nadia, Hooghly and West Burdwan.

“There were no new cases of release following cure. The total number of cured cases in Bengal stands at 73. The total active Covid-19 positive cases, therefore, is 274 on Tuesday.”

“The death figure increased by three. Our audit committee has found that three more deaths were related directly to Covid-19; these are deaths because of Covid-19. Total deaths directly related to Covid-19 is 15,” Sinha said.