West Bengal on Saturday recorded 26 more deaths due to COVID-19 taking the number of casualties to 906. The State recorded yet another highest single-day spike of 1,344 cases in 24 hours, taking the tally to 28,453.
The active cases rose to 9,558. Of the 26 deaths, 16 were recorded in Kolkata alone, five in the North 24 Parganas, four in Howrah and one in the South 24 Parganas. With the fresh spurt, the recovery rate also dropped to 63.11%.
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Reports of bodies not being handed over to families and delay in conducting the last rites of the deceased also came from Kolkata and adjoining districts.
The Kolkata police have requested the authorities of the Cricket Association of Bengal to allow the Eden Gardens as a makeshift quarantine centre.
“The police are in an urgent need of a large accommodation for setting up a makeshift quarantine centre for the personnel with immediate effect,” a letter by Joint Commissioner (Headquarters) Supratim Sarkar to Abhishek Dalmiya, president of CAB, said.
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In the letter dated July 10, the police have sought the gallery of blocks E, F, G H and J. They held a meeting with the CAB officials and visited the iconic grounds. The CAB authorities have allowed the police to use the galleries. With the infections spreading at a rapid pace, even police personnel are getting infection. There were reports of several personnel testing positive at Kasba station.
Minister’s wife infected
Earlier in the day, Minister and former cricketer Lakshmi Ratan Shukla took to twitter saying his wife Smita Sanyal Shukla has tested positive. Ms. Shukla is also a Deputy Secretary of the Health Department. Tollywood actor Koel Mullick and her father actor Ranjit Mullick have also tested positive.