Unrestricted gatherings blamed as Bengal registers highest Covid cases so far – Hindustan Times

Kolkata News

KOLKATA: From an average of around 500 daily cases in the last week of December, the Covid-19 infections in West Bengal crossed 24,000 on Sunday, the highest it has reported since the first case of the disease was detected in the state in March 2020.

Experts have said the Christmas gathering at Kolkata’s Park Street may have been a super-spreader while warning the worst is yet to come. At a meeting held by the state health department, doctors recently warned West Bengal could face a daily count of 30,000-35,000 cases during the peak of the third wave.

“As the new variant spreads 3-5 times faster, the cases would increase manifold in the coming days. This time, we may expect 30,000-35,000 cases every day when the peak hits. Hopefully, the surge would not persist beyond April 22,” a doctor was quoted as warning at the meeting.

The state on Sunday registered 24,287 cases. The daily count shot up to 4,157 when the peak of the first wave hit the state in late October 2020. The second wave was worse, as the daily cases touched 20,846 in mid-May when it peaked.

Kolkata registered 8,712 cases, the highest among districts in the state, on Sunday. North 24 Parganas, the second most populous district in the country after Thane in Maharashtra, recorded the second-highest cases (over 5000).

“While Kolkata is the epicentre, districts adjoining the mega city like North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, and Howrah are also witnessing a huge surge. In all these districts, the daily count of cases has touched four digits. In the rest of the districts, even though there has been a surge, the figures are still within the three digit range,” said a health department official.

Kolkata recorded the second-highest positivity rate of 57.9% among all districts in the country for the week starting January 2. Lahaul and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh registered over 61% positivity rate. Kolkata’s weekly positivity rate was 23.4% between December 24 and 31.

The weekly (January 2-8) positivity rate of New Delhi was 18.8%. In Mumbai, it was 26.90%, and in Chennai 15.36%.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she would request all with folded hands to wear masks and sanitise their hands to check the spread of the virus while directing the police to strictly enforce Covid-19 safety norms.

Manas Gumta, the general secretary of the Association of Health Service Doctors, said the surge in Kolkata cannot be attributed to international flights as the city had direct flights from only one “at risk” country – the UK – unlike Delhi and Mumbai. “The present surge was triggered primarily by the huge gatherings at Park Street and in other parts of the city in restaurants and malls on Christmas and New Year without any regard for Covid-19 protocols.”

While cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru were imposing curbs to restrict gatherings on Christmas and New Year, no such curbs were in place in Kolkata. On the contrary, the state government relaxed the night curfew from 11 pm to 5 am between December 24 and January 1.

The cases started doubling every day from December 28. While the state registered around 400 cases on December 27, a week later, on January 3, the daily count shot up to over 6,000. On January 9, it crossed the 24,000-mark. On January 2, the government imposed restrictions by closing down schools and colleges while allowing only 50% workforce in offices and putting a 50% cap on trains and metro. Direct flights from the UK were stopped and those from Delhi and Mumbai were allowed to land only three days a week.

“But the damage was done by then… While relaxing rules during Christmas and New Year certainly played a major role as we can see cases have shot up particularly in Kolkata and its surrounding districts, the political campaigns and arrival of pilgrims ahead of the Ganga Sagar Mela were also a major factor. People too were to be blamed as they dropped their guard and engaged in revelry,” said Sukumar Mukherjee, a member of an expert committee set up in 2020 to advise Banerjee on pandemic-related matters.

The Calcutta high court has allowed the mela to be held from this week with restrictions. Elections to four civic bodies were also being held as per schedule on January 22. Political meetings have been allowed with 250 people.

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“While the first surge hit around Durga Puja in 2020 when shopping and festive preparations were in full swing, the second surge followed in May 2021 after the eight-phase assembly elections were held. So, it would not be right to say that the state government had no idea as to what would be the outcome of rules relaxed for Christmas and New Year,” said a doctor at a state-run hospital, who did not want to be named.

Top officials, including the health secretary, did not take calls or respond to messages for comments on the surge .

Santanu Sen, a ruling Trinamool Congress lawmaker and former president of the Indian Medical Association, said West Bengal, unlike Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states did not hide the actual figures. “That is why we know what is happening exactly. It is true that Christmas celebrations were a factor but people become relaxed over the past few months. The state government is taking all steps keeping in mind both lives and livelihoods.”

At a recent meeting, Banerjee said: “If we shut down train services, people would criticise us, and if we allow trains people board the compartments in large numbers. What are we supposed to do? How long can we suspend livelihoods? This has been going on for three years, affecting development and financial growth.” She has directed police to handle the situation strongly. “Some people are not paying heed to warnings and still not wearing masks. A section of people put on the mask before entering a restaurant as they would not be allowed without it. They remove the mask the moment they come out on the road.”

BJP leader Samik Bhattacharya blamed the government for the surge in the cases. “The government has no regard for the lives of people. It only engages in cheap politics and publicity. The civic elections should be postponed as the cases are rising fast,” said Bhattacharya.

Banerjee has warned that if cases continue to shoot up, more restrictions could follow.

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Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/kolkata-news/unrestricted-gatherings-blamed-as-bengal-registers-highest-covid-cases-so-far-101641797068251.html