West Bengal government asks hospitals to increase beds as the COVID death toll crosses 500 mark

• According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the state tally crossed 12,735 cases as on June 19, 2020.
  
• This was after 435 more people were tested positive for coronavirus on June 18 — including 12 fatalities.
  
• Kolkata witnessed the highest rise in the number of cases in a single day with 180 infections.
  
• The government has now asked the COVID facilities to increase beds and not charge any additional expenses for the treatment of patients.
  
• Meanwhile, nearly 468 patients were discharged from the hospitals, taking the total number of those cured to 7,001.
  

West Bengal has been reporting a record-high number of cases since last few weeks. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the state tally crossed 12,735 cases as on June 19, 2020. Of this, Kolkata witnessed the highest rise in the number of cases in a single day with 180 infections.


The government has now asked the COVID facilities to increase beds and not charge any additional expenses for the treatment of patients, given the current scenario. This was because a few laboratories in the state were found charging high fees to conduct COVID tests.

“We have not fixed any charge regarding hospital bills yet, but we will do so if we find any problem. We urge private hospitals to reduce and rationalise treatment costs and not impose the additional costs on patients. We are monitoring the situation,” Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha said in a meeting with private hospitals.

This was after 435 more people were tested positive for coronavirus on June 18 — including 12 fatalities. The recent deaths were reported in Kolkata, Howrah and Hoogly.

Trinamool Congress MLA Tamonash Ghosh, who tested positive for the disease last month, has also been put on ventilator as the condition deteriorated, state chief minister Mamta Banerjee said.

Meanwhile, nearly 468 patients were discharged from the hospitals, taking the total number of those cured to 7,001. The state recovery rate thus stands at 54.9%, Hindustan Times reported. As many as 370,291 samples have been tested so far in West Bengal.

After the lockdown was lifted, from June 1, the state government allowed all the religious places like temples, churches and mosques to open for devotees and arrangements have been made to ensure the availability of sanitizers and hand wash across these places. According to the state guidelines, only 10 people will be allowed inside the premises at a time. Gatherings will not be allowed. All these religious places have been shut for over two months now.

While all the government and private offices have also resumed operations.

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