West Bengal reports 344 new COVID-19 cases, state tally reaches 4,536

Kolkata: With migrants train arriving from various parts of the country, there is a record spurt in COVID-19 cases in West Bengal in the last 24 hours.

344 new cases have been found positive in the state, taking the cumulative cases to 4,536, according to the state
Health Department’s Bulletin issued on Thursday evening.

The total number of deaths as on date is 295 in West Bengal, including 72 comorbidity cases, the bulletin mentioned.

In this situation, five new trains have arrived in Malda with migrant workers and several other Shramik Special trains arrived in Kharagpur and Howrah stations with migrant workers from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh.

Meanwhile, West Bengal government is not in favour of withdrawing the lockdown from the state immediately and resuming local train services, state Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha said during a video conference with Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba.

The state government has also expressed apprehension that if the lockdown is lifted and local trains start to ply, the number of COVID-19 cases may increase manifold as social distancing will not be maintained.

Domestic flights have also resumed from Kolkata Airport.