WB Chief Secy attends COVID-19 meeting chaired by PM Modi in absence of Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday did not attend the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the COVID-19 situation, as she was busy in election campaigning ahead of the fourth phase of the assembly elections, sources close to the chief minister said.

The meeting, held through video conferencing, was attended by West Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay.

The Prime Minister is holding a meeting with chief ministers of various states on the COVID-19 situation and vaccination-related issues.

The new COVID-19 cases in the country went to an all-time high on Thursday crossing the 1.26 lakh mark.

According to the Union Health Ministry, the country recorded 1,26,789 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. With this fresh surge, the total count of cases has reached 1,29,28,574.

With 685 new COVID-related deaths in the last 24 hours, the toll in the country has gone up to 1,66,862.

( With inputs from ANI )