COVID-19: Lockdown in containment zones in Bengal for 7 days from 5 pm Thursday

Lockdown will be imposed in containment zones in West Bengal for seven days from 5 pm Thursday to check the surge in novel coronavirus cases, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday.

Lockdown will be imposed in containment zones in West Bengal for seven days from 5 pm Thursday to check the surge in novel coronavirus cases, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday. She also directed the police to be strict with those violating norms put in place in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This lockdown in containment zones in West Bengal will continue for seven days from 5 pm Thursday. Will review the situation after seven days and then decide the next course of action on lockdown," the chief minister said at the state secretariat here. If it is seen that the number of cases are coming down during this period, then some relaxations will be announced, Banerjee said.

The West Bengal government had on Tuesday decided to expand the areas under lockdown and impose tougher restrictions from July 9 to stem the relentless spike in COVID-19 cases. The state on Wednesday witnessed the highest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases with 986 fresh infections taking the state's case count to 24,823, the health department said in a bulletin.

"We are imposing the lockdown in small containment zones because there are some areas where the number of COVID-19 cases are going up every day. People must wear masks. Asked police to be strict. Send them back home if they are not wearing masks... And do not allow them to come out unless they are wearing it," Banerjee said. "Will it be good if I start imposing fine of Rs 2,000 (for not wearing masks) to a person who does not have the ability to pay it. But, that won't solve the problem," she said.

The chief minister approved a list of at least 25 containment zones in the city, 93 in North 24 Parganas and 56 in Howrah. Banerjee asked senior officials to conduct a review of the list and publish a fresh one for South 24 Parganas district.

In the city, areas of Kankurgachi, Alipore, Bhowanipore, Khotta Bagan, Ultadanga, Mukundapur, Battala, Dutta Bagan Bijoygarh, Jora Mandir Bazar, Sakherbazar, Kasba, Progati Pally, Girish Park, Kar Bagan, Amherst Street and Beniapukur have been listed as containment zones. The state reported 23 new fatalities on Wednesday, raising the death toll to 827, the health department bulletin said. The number of active COVID-19 cases now stands at 7,705.

The bulletin said 501 patients have recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours.