Last day of West Bengal poll amid surge in COVID-19 cases

283 candidates in fray in 35 Assembly constituencies; 17,207 new cases reported

The COVID-19 situation in West Bengal is worsening with a steady rise in cases for more than 10 days now. The State on Wednesday registered a record 17,207 cases in the past 24 hours and 77 deaths. This is the highest number of infections and deaths recorded in the State since the outbreak of the pandemic. The numbers of daily infections are rising even as the number of tests has remained the same. The State has tested about 54,936 samples in the past 24 hours. Kolkata recorded highest daily cases at 3,821 and 22 deaths. North 24 Parganas, which is the second worst affected district, recorded 3,778 infections and 16 deaths. There were long queues outside State-run hospitals for the second dose of vaccines. The State government has issued guidelines for admission of patients in the State-run hospitals which would be routed through advisory cell of the Swastha Bhawan. A team of doctors managing the admission cell of the Swastha Bhawan will decide on the admission of particular patients.