Bengal logs 805 new Covid infections, 11 deaths

The total of active cases fell by 13 to 7,869 — a drop after six consecutive days of rise

Seventeen Bengal districts reported zero deaths, while Calcutta and North 24-Parganas reported three each.: Telegraph file picture

Meghdeep Bhattacharyya   |   TT  |  Calcutta   |   26.10.21: Bengal on Monday reported 805 new Covid-19 infections, 807 recoveries and 11 deaths.

The total of active cases fell by 13 to 7,869 — a drop after six consecutive days of rise.

A minister said the number of new infections reported on Monday is indicative of the people who got infected in the October 16 (Ekadoshi) to 20 (the day after Lakshmi Puja) window.

Calcutta reported 229 new infections, while North 24-Parganas recorded 142, being the only two of the state’s 23 districts with a three-digit figure of new cases found. Eight districts reported a single-digit figure.

Seventeen Bengal districts reported zero deaths, while Calcutta and North 24-Parganas reported three each.

“We are, in terms of the Covid-19 statistics, getting past the Puja days and going into the post-Puja phase. It is becoming increasingly clear that the reality of the outbreak situation is far better than what was estimated before the festive spell began,” said the minister.

In the 30 days since Bengal snapped out of a 97-day streak of constant fall in the total of active cases ahead of the Puja season, the state recorded a rise in its total of active cases for 18 days and a fall for 11 days.

In these 30 days — considered the core phase of the autumnal festive spell, including not only the Durga Puja days but also the preceding and succeeding weeks — there has been a net rise of 195 in the state’s total of active cases, from the 7,674 of September 25.

Bengal now has more than 15.87 lakh Covid-19 cases, since the first was logged in March last year. The total includes over 15.6 lakh recoveries and 19,066 casualties.