60% discharge rate of Covid patients in state better than nat'l avg: Home Secy

MP | 22 June 2020 | Kolkata: The total number of active cases in Bengal is showing a downward trend with the rate of people being discharged after cure crossing 60 percent on Monday. 

The rate of discharge in Bengal is much ahead of the national average of only 55.48 percent. 

This comes when an all-party meeting has been convened at Nabanna Sabhaghar on Wednesday to discuss the present COVID-19 situation in the state. It will be presided over by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and a comprehensive statement in this regard will be presented before representatives of all the political parties in the meeting. 

Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said: "Total active COVID-19 cases in the state are showing a downward trend recently. There were only 5,093 active Covid cases in the state and 8,297 COVID-19 patients were released after they got cured of the disease." 

Stressing on the increase in the number of swab sample tests, Bandyopadhyay said: "Total samples tested in the state crossed 4 lakh on Sunday and this has happened with the relentless effort of the state government in creating necessary infrastructure by setting up laboratories as many as possible. At present more than 10,000 tests are consistently taking place every day in Bengal." 

Later at night, the update on the COVID-19 related data as per the state Health department's bulletin shows that the graph has improved further in the past 24 hours with the rate of people getting discharged increasing to 60.50 percent and a total of 9,077 people being released from hospitals till date. In the past 24 hours, as many as 413 people got infected to COVID-19 and the disease claimed 14 lives. The total number of tests touched 4.01 lakh with 49 laboratories spread across the state. 

Bandyopadhyay said: "With a proper healthcare infrastructure in place, the rate of people being released after getting cured is expected to go up in the state and we will gradually move towards improvement in the situation if we can continue following the norms of maintaining physical distancing, use of masks and hand sanitisers." 

In connection with the all-party meeting, Bandyopadhyay said: "Since the Assembly session is not taking place at this point in time due to COVID-19, it is important to hold discussion with representatives of all political parties. It will be attended by leaders of all political parties having representation in the state Assembly." 

The Chief Minister held a discussion with Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay in this regard who also agreed to be present in the meeting. 

Meanwhile, India continued to register over 10,000 new COVID-19 cases for the 11th day in a row as 14,821 new 19 cases have been added in the country's total tally that pushed the infection count to 4,25,282, while the death toll rose to 13,699 with 445 new fatalities. 

Notably, the country has witnessed a surge of 2,34,747 new cases of Coronavirus from June 1 till June 22. 

With the recovery of 9,440 COVID-19 patients in the last 24 hours, total 2,37,196 patients have been cured so far at the rate of 55.77 per cent, while there were 1,74,387 active cases.

(Source- Millenium Post- http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/60-discharge-rate-of-covid-patients-in-state-better-than-natl-avg-home-secy-410836)