West Bengal: Covid-19 cases reach 1259 with 61 deaths

Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha said that the 61 new Covid-19 positive cases were reported from the state in last 24 hours.

"The recovery rate in the state has mounted to 17.32 per cent," Rajiva Sinha said.

West Bengal has tested 25116 samples so far with 2201 tests being conducted in last 24 hours, according to officials.

Currently, 4860 persons are kept in government quarantine centres across West Bengal while 5755 people are under home surveillance in the state.

Meanwhile, state officials said that the number of Covid-19 containment zones in West Bengal had increased from 444 to 516 — 318 in Kolkata, 74 in Howrah, 81 in North 24 Parganas, 18 in Hooghly, nine in East Medinipur, five in West Medinipur, two in Nadia, three each in Malda and Jalpaiguri, and one each in South 24 Parganas, East Burdwan, Darjeeling and Kalimpong.

As the third phase of nationwide lockdown has begun on Monday, Bengal Chief Secretary said that inter-state private bus services with maximum 20 passengers will be operated in Green and Orange zone districts while private cars with passes will be allowed with maximum three passengers, including its driver.

"In non-containment zones, non-essential products' standalone stores, neighbourhood shops, sweetmeat shops and tea-pan-bidi shops will remain open 10 am till 6 pm, though we won't allow any gathering at the tea-pan-bidi shops," Rajiva Sinha said.

The state has also allowed mining operations in Green and Orange zones, construction works at rural areas and in-situ construction in urban areas which will require prior permission from the local authorities.

"Private offices can be operated in non-containment zones from 10 am to 6 pm with maximum 25 per cent staff-strength, still, we will encourage to continue work on work-from-home basis," CS Rajiva Sinha said.

"If you find any violation of our guidelines, we will take strict action under the Disaster Management Act," Sinha added.

Bengal Chief Secretary said that no activities shall be permitted in shopping malls and market complexes which excludes essential services.

Meanwhile, the Excise Directorate of West Bengal government on Monday issued an order for licensed standalone liquor off-shops in non-containment zones across the state to open their stores from 12 pm to 7 pm, maintaining social distancing and all other precautionary measures.     

"Shops should make demarcations, in whichever practical way, keeping a minimum distance of six feet between customers while in queue, and not more than five persons shall be allowed in a queue," the guideline read.

The state government stated that no retail shop can sell more than two bottles of liquor to any customer at a time.

"Sale of liquor shall not be allowed to customers not wearing masks. Shops shall ensure deployment of volunteers of their own for crowd and queue management, no overcrowding will be allowed, and social distancing shall be maintained at all cost," the state order further read.