4 more die of COVID-19 in Bengal; toll 72

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Kolkata, May 6 () West Bengal reported four novel coronavirus deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the toll to 72 in the state, Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said on Wednesday.

A total of 112 new coronavirus infections were detected and the active cases rose to 1,047. The number of confirmed cases climbed to 1,456, Bandyopadhyay said.

As many as 2,570 samples were tested in the past 24 hours, the home secretary said, adding that total number of samples tested rose to 30,141.

Four more people died directly because of COVID-19, taking the toll to 72 in the state. Seventy-two others succumbed to various concurrent ailments and the coronavirus infection in them was "incidental", the official said.

The Health Department said there were 524 active cases in Kolkata, followed by 248 in Howrah district, 145 in North 24 Parganas, 38 in South 24 Parganas, 36 in Hooghly, 14 each in East and West Midnapore, six in West Burdwan, four in East Burdwan, three in Birbhum, two each in Nadia and Malda and one in Darjeeling.

Ten others who returned from other states have tested positive.

Meanwhile, the officer-incharge of the Bowbazar police station tested positive for COVID-19, following which he was hospitalised.

"We are trying to find out who came in contact with the officer and contact them," a Kolkata Police officer said.

At least eight officers of the Kolkata Police have been afflicted with COVID-19 so far.

A senior official of a nationalised bank also tested positive. He is a resident of Topsia in Kolkata, Health Department sources said. SCH NNHMB