Coronavirus pandemic: West Bengal extends two-day weekly lockdown till August 31

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced extension of coronavirus lockdown (two days in a week) in the state till August end amid rising number of patients. Currently, the lockdown is applicable only till July 31.

Now, this lockdown pattern will remain intact till August 31, news agency ANI reported. All offices and transport services remain closed on those two days.

The West Bengal government on July 20 had announced a complete lockdown across the state for two days every week. State Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay had said that there were a few places in the state where community transmission of coronavirus has been detected. The decision was taken to break the chain of transmission of infection.

"There are a few places in the state where community transmission of COVID-19 has been detected. After talking to experts, doctors, enforcement authorities, and the police, we have decided to impose complete lockdown for two days every week in the entire state to break the chain (of transmission)," he had then said.

In West Bengal, the coronavirus tally has crossed 60,000 today. In a first for West Bengal, more coronavirus patients have been discharged from hospitals on a single day than the number of new cases detected. The state reported 2,112 fresh cases, while 2,166 people were discharged in the last 24 hours. The state's death toll has climbed to 1,411.

India reported 47,704 positive cases and 654 deaths in the last 24 hours. With this, India's coronavirus tally has reached almost 15 lakh. Currently, India has a total of 14,84,157 cases of coronavirus, with 9,52,744 recoveries and 4,96,988 active cases.

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