COVID-19: Daily infections in Bengal drop to below 10,000; curbs relaxed

Construction work allowed; IT firms can open with 10% staff

The number of daily COVID-19 infections in West Bengal dropped below 10,000 after several weeks with the State registering about 9,424 infections in the past 24 hours. During the second wave of the pandemic, the number of daily infections had peaked above 20,000. This is the first time after the marathon Assembly polls in the State that daily COVID infections have dropped below 10,000. Another new trend that has emerged is that the number of infections in North 24 Parganas, the most populated district, is almost double that of Kolkata. North 24 Parganas has registered 2,028 infections in the past 24 hours, while Kolkata registered 1,032 new cases. The State however, recorded 137 deaths due to COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. While North 24 Parganas recorded 35 deaths, Kolkata recorded 32 deaths and South 24 Parganas 13 deaths.