Kolkata, May 28 (UNI) With six more deaths, the toll due to Covid-19 in Bengal touched 223, while confirmed cases rose to 4536 in the state with 344 more cases on Thursday.
With 344 more cases, total confirmed cases touched 4536 in the state, while the count of active cases accounted for 2573, according to a State Health Department bulletin here.
Altogether 38 testing laboratories in the state are conducting tests for Covid-19, it stated.
While 223 people died of Covid-19, 72 passed away due to Comorbidity.
Altogether 1668 people have been discharged so far, while total number of samples tested accounted for 1,75,769.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal Government has issued a revised advisory for returnees of stranded migrant workers/tourists/students to mandatory medical screening, espcially for those coming from five states - Maharastra, Delhi, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
" After medical screening, all asymptotic persons, other than those coming from above
mentioned five high burden states, will be released with an instruction for 14 days
strict home quarantine," the state health department notification said.
Health experts believe that coming of stranded people into the state was causing spread of pandemic in cities and villages across West Bengal.
" All the persons coming from the above mentioned states will be taken for institutional quarantine, as far as possible close their residence for 14 days," the notification added.
Family members of quarantined persons will be allowed to provide food to them without coming into contact. In case food is not available from the family, suitable arrangements will be done by the respective district administrations.
Meanwhile, the state government was keen on extension of ongoing lock-down amid reports of
increasing Covid -19 positive cases.
The government is also unwilling for immediate resumption of local trains across the state apprehending it would defeat the social distancing.
Official sources at Nabanna said that state Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha in a video conferencing with Union Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauva communicated this saying the state government was in favour of extending current lock-down with a bit relaxation in some areas.
The Bengal government is also not in favour of immediate resumption of local trains traffic, saying this
would defeat the spirit of social distancing to combat the corona virus, which has killed over 200 people so far since March 23.
Meanwhile, amid inclement weather, commercial services of different airlines today resumed their services in West Bengal's two airports - Kolkata in the city and Bagdogra in North Bengal - after nearly two months of suspension due to Covid-19.
The State Government also issued a set of new guidelines for the flyers of Do's and Don'ts for the flyers.
A 400-bed quarantine centre has been set up at the airport's old terminal, exclusively for air passengers, in case anyone is found carrying virus on arrival.
The newly set up quarantine centre would be operational from tomorrow, the day of resumption of air services, suspended from last week of March, 2020.
New guidelines are as follow:
1) People entering West Bengal once domestic flights are allowed in the state from Thursday
must submit a self-declaration form stating that they had not tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two months.
2) All passengers shall undergo health screening at the point of departure and only asymptomatic passengers shall be allowed to board the plane.
3) On arrival, health screening shall be done for all the passengers.
Asymptomatic passengers will be permitted to go with the advice that they shall self monitor their health for 14 days.
In case they develop any symptoms, they shall inform the local medical officer or state
call center 1800 313 444 222/033-23412600,2357 3636/1083/1085 for medical interventions.
4) All symptomatic passengers will be taken to the nearest health facility for testing samples.
5) Passengers with moderate or severe symptoms will be admitted to the dedicated COVID-19 health facility and managed accordingly.
6) Regular sanitisation, disinfection shall be done at the airport, the advisory stated, adding that there should be adequate availability of sanitisers at different points.
7) Adequate publicity for maintenance of social distancing norms and health hygiene protocol should be done at the airport.
8) At airport, during boarding and travel, passengers shall use face covers/mask. They will also follow hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette and maintain social distancing norms.
Besides the Novel corona virus, the super cyclone wreaked havoc in south Bengal districts and claimed 87 lives last week.
The chief secretary said some six crore people have been affected by Amphan, including 8.13 lakh people have been evacuated.
Over 4.5 lakh electrical posts have been flattened and 300 culverts - connecting village to village have been damaged.
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Besides flooding of 10.5 lakh hectare of arable land, the cyclone also destroyed the betel plantation.