Most of the latest infections, 170, were also detected in Kolkata, followed by 70 in North 24 Parganas, and 40 in Howrah. (Express Photo Praveen Khanna)
The Covid-19 active case count in West Bengal dipped for the third straight day, with the discharge rate crossing 50% for the first time to settle at 50.61%, even as the toll neared 500 and the total number of cases closed in on the 12,000 mark.
According to the state health bulletin, in which figures are updated till 9 am, 415 more people tested positive, taking the total number of cases to 11,909. The toll rose to 495 with 10 deaths, four of which occurred here. Three deaths were reported from North 24 Parganas district, followed by two in Howrah, and one in South 24 Parganas.
Most of the latest infections, 170, were also detected in Kolkata, followed by 70 in North 24 Parganas, and 40 in Howrah.
To determine the community spread of the infection the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has conducted IgG antibody tests in some of the worst-hit areas in the city, according to a senior official. Samples of 100 people each in ward numbers 11, 28, 61, 82 and 90, which have a large number of containment zones, were collected and sent to a laboratory of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in Chennai.
“We had got guidelines from the ICMR and according to that we have started conducting these tests from today,” said Firhad Hakim, the chairperson of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation board of administrators.
Meanwhile, the health department said 534 people were discharged from hospitals in 24 hours, taking the number of recovered patients to 6,028. Of them, 1,822 patients have been released in the last four days. At the moment, 5,386 people are undergoing treatment for Covid-19, 129 fewer than the day before.
According to the health department, 8,512 samples were tested in 24 hours. With this, 3,51,754 samples have been examined till date.
The test positivity rate rose marginally to 3.39%. The health bulletin said 85,343 migrant returnees were in special government centres, 12,237 others were in government quarantine, and 1,52,724 people remained isolated at home.
(With PTI inputs)