West Bengal on Monday recorded 54 new cases of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, prompting the authorities to urge people to maintain self-discipline and follow lockdown norms.
Also read: Coronavirus India lockdown Day 27 updates
With 54 new cases of the viral infection, the highest in the State so far, the number of active cases in West Bengal climbed to 245. During the day, the State also started conducting rapid antibody tests in “Red Zone areas where containment activities are going on”.
State Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha said that the tests will be conducted first in Kolkata and Howrah and then in districts of north Bengal with the approval of State’s Health Department. “Rapid antibody testing will also be done in low incidence areas so that large populations do not remain out of the ambit of testing,” he said
The number of deaths due to COVID-19 infections in the State remains at 12. The total number of samples tested in the State as on April 20 stands at 5,469. In the past 24 hours, 424 samples were tested in the State, Mr. Sinha added.
Curbs on sweets shops
The Chief Secretary said that sweet shops and shops selling flowers will be open till Noon. Earlier, these shops were allowed to remain open till 4 p.m. He added that attempts will be made to barricade the markets so that a large number of people do not gather there at the same time.
Also read: Social distancing has to be 100% during lockdown, says West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar
“Lockdown cannot be enforced only by force or by the police. People will have maintain self-discipline and behave responsibly,” he said. Mr. Sinha said that people were coming out of homes on certain pretexts, thinking that the police would not intercept them.
As far as exemptions for industries goes, Mr. Sinha said that no exemptions had been given to industries that were located in the containment zones. He said that about 375 proposals had been made from areas that are hotspots, and they have been denied. The Chief Secretary also said that out of 1,500 proposals that came up for exemptions, about 300 had been allowed on condition that social distancing protocols were maintained.
