West Bengal reports 51 new COVID-19 cases

With 51 new COVID-19 cases in West Bengal in the last 24 hours, the total number of people infected with the virus in the State climbed to 385 on Friday.

"In the last 24 hours, 51 more COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in West Bengal. Total cases in the state rise to 385," said West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha here at a press conference.

Quoting the audit committee's report, Sinha informed that out of 57 deaths in the State, 18 were caused due to the coronavirus.

"We had requested the audit committee for a report on COVID-19 related deaths. Out of 57 deaths that have been audited by the committee, they have certified that 18 deaths were due to corona and 39 were due to severe comorbid conditions and COVID-19 was an incidental finding," said Sinha.

Earlier in the day, the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) wrote to Sinha, asking him to explain the methodology used by 'committee of doctors' in the State to ascertain deaths due to COVID-19 and also if it is in line with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines.In the letter to Sinha, the IMCT head Apurva Chandra, Additional Secretary with the Central government, said that they are not convinced with the West Bengal government's reasoning that if a COVID-19 patient in the State dies in a road accident, then he/she cannot be said to have died of the coronavirus.

Chandra said the IMCT also sought interaction with the 'committee of doctors' to understand their methodology.This week, the Union Home Ministry-constituted IMCTs visit coronavirus hotspots for assessment, issue directions to combat the spread of the lethal virus in those areas and submit a report to the Central government.Sinha has assured that the state will follow the order under the Disaster Management Act and the directions of the Supreme Court regarding the assessment of the ground-level situation in the backdrop of COVID-19 lockdown.

( With inputs from ANI )