At a time when crowds are surging on the streets of Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal during Durga Puja, the Covid-19 positivity rate in the state once again crossed the 2 per cent mark, ringing alarm bells in the medical fraternity.
According to the daily bulletin issued by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, the positivity rate in Bengal was 2.73 per cent on Wednesday. The positivity rate in Bengal was 1.36 per cent only a few days back. The State recorded 771 fresh cases and 11 fatalities in the last 24 hours.
Renowned surgeon Diptendra Sarkar noted that despite lesser number of Covid-19 tests being conducted, the positivity rate had crossed the 2 per cent mark.
“If the Covid norms keep getting violated in such manner then the positivity rate will soon reach around 4 per cent,” he said.
Experts also expressed their apprehension that if the positivity rate in the State breaches the 5 per cent mark, then the possibility of a stringent lockdown will become more likely.
Eminent public health expert Dr Abhijit Chowdhury said that those who are happy thinking that hospital beds are almost empty and coming up with arguments that they will be unaffected because they are fully vaccinated should remember that such a reckless mindset may lead them to a bleak future.
There are currently 7,657 active Covid-19 cases in West Bengal.
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