COVID in Bengal: no lockdown now, 4,500 additional beds in hospital, 11,000 beds in safe homes

There’s no immediate possibility of imposing night curfew or lockdown in West Bengal, though the number of COVID beds in state-run and private hospitals are being increased, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday.

She held a press conference in Malda on the COVID situation in West Bengal currently. There has been a sudden spike in COVID cases across the country, including West Bengal. A single-day spike of 8,419 new cases was reported on Sunday.

Right now, provisions are being made for 4,500 additional beds in 100 hospitals across the state to treat COVID patients. Additionally, 200 safe homes – including some in hotels – are being reactivated with 11,000 beds from these units. These will be used for patients who are either asymptomatic or have mild symptoms and have difficulty in living in isolation in their houses. The government is also arranging 400 ambulances for COVID patients.

Mamata Banerjee today said that there is no need to panic, and “we will handle this crisis the way we did it last year”. She said that the Centre had been asked to provide more oxygen and vaccine apart from the essential medicines for COVID treatment. A task force has been formed in the state to handle the COVID crisis.

She also said that the state government will function with 50 per cent workforce, and asked offices to focus on work from home provision for their employees.