Coronavirus | 35 more areas added to list of containment zones in West Bengal

The number of such zones in Kolkata, however, has reduced from 28 to 24, although the metropolis continues to record maximum COVID-19 cases in the State

Policemen keep vigil outside a containment zone in Kolkata on July 14, 2020.

The West Bengal government has added 35 more areas to the list of ‘broad-based’ containment zones in the State, increasing the count to 676, amid the strict lockdown clamped in all such places to stem the spread of COVID-19 , a senior official said on Friday.

The number of such zones in Kolkata, however, has reduced from 28 to 24, although the metropolis continues to record maximum COVID-19 cases in the State every day, he said.

The number of active cases in Kolkata stands at 4,512.

The Government has recently clubbed containment zones and the buffer zones around them to constitute a ‘broad-based’ containment zone.

Currently, North 24 Parganas district has the highest number of containment zones at 95, followed by Howrah at 85, East Burdwan at 71, North Dinajpur at 70 and Nadia at 54.

In all, 12 zones in Kolkata have managed to shed the ‘containment’ tag, while at least eight new areas were added to the list that was released on Thursday.

According to State government website ‘Egiye Bangla’, eight out of the 24 zones in the State capital have “multiple premises”. Two slum areas at Bakul Bagan Row in Bhowanipore and Ultadanga Main Road have been earmarked as broad-based containment zones.

Seven residential complexes —four in Ballygunge and one each in Maniktala, Bhowanipore and Kankurgachi — also form a part of the list.

The fresh spell of total lockdown in the containment zones of the State, which came into force on July 9, will continue till July 19.