COVID-19 outbreak: 2-day total lockdown across West Bengal every week
What's the story
As West Bengal continues to witness a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases, the state government on Monday announced a total lockdown will be in force for two days every week across the state. The complete lockdown in the state will be imposed on Thursday and Saturday this week, said the Home Secretary of West Bengal, Alapan Bandyopadhyay. Here are more details.
Details
Complete lockdown on Thursday and Saturday this week: Bandyopadhyay
"There will be a two-day complete lockdown every week," Home Secretary Bandyopadhyay was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. "In the current week, on Thursday and Saturday, the state government is imposing, in addition to running a broad-based containment zone approach, a complete lockdown all over the state," he added.
Transmission
Community transmission recorded in some areas of state
Meanwhile, Bandopadhyay also reportedly admitted that community transmission of the deadly COVID-19 has also been detected in some areas of West Bengal. "COVID-19 is spreading and increasingly it is being considered that it is spreading in the community," he said. "After discussion with scientists and experts, the idea is being drawn that there are transmission in some groups (sic)," the Home Secretary added.
Cases
State's COVID-19 tally crossed 42,000 on Sunday
The weekly lockdown announcement comes after West Bengal's COVID-19 tally crossed the 42,000-mark on Sunday. The state witnessed its highest single-day spike of 2,278 cases on Sunday, pushing the total tally to 42,487 cases. The COVID-19 death toll in West Bengal also rose to 1,112 after the disease claimed 36 lives on the same day - the highest in a single day so far.
Advisory
State-wide containment zone-based lockdown till July 31: Home Department
The West Bengal Home Department on Sunday announced that the containment zone-based lockdown strategy for curbing the COVID-19 spread in the state will be followed until July 31. It also issued an advisory to West Bengal DGP Virendra Kumar, Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma, all District Magistrates, and other concerned authorities for continuing the lockdown in broad-based containment zones according to the local situation.
Quote
District Magistrates may decide on continuing lockdown: Advisory
"DMs (District Magistrates) may take a view on continuing lockdown: town-wide or zone-wise depending on the local situation. They can do it for five to seven days. State-wide containment zone-based lockdown continues till July 31," stated the WB Home Department's advisory.
Twitter Post
Here's what Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien tweeted about lockdown
#Bengal #Update
— Derek O'Brien | ডেরেক ও'ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) July 20, 2020
Complete lockdown twice a week in State; this week, Thurs Sat.
2 days to be announced in advance; coming week, Wed.
Safe homes hospital beds further increased.
Key telephone numbers for admissions, #COVID19 patients, telemedicine, safe homes, ambulance pic.twitter.com/79FQanNazB