Alarmingly High Positivity Rate In Bengal and Kolkata
By A Special Correspondent
First publised on 2022-01-11 06:55:21
About the Author
West Bengal is grappling with a huge third wave of Covid, driven largely by the Omicron variant. In Kolkata, experts have said that the BA.2 variant of Omicron that is not easily detected is the main driver. The surprising thing is that almost none of those infected have a foreign travel history. Although the absolute numbers are below that of Maharashtra and Delhi, they are still enough to surpass the earlier records. The numbers are low only due to low testing. The fact is that with 37.32 percent positivity rate in the state and over 50% in Kolkata, things are getting out of hand in the state. The week between December 24 last year and New Year's Day this year saw huge crowd at all popular spots in the Kolkata and that has added to the spike. Thankfully, the hospitalization rate is low (as it is all over India) otherwise the same distressing situation as witnessed during the second wave would have repeated itself.
But even during this crisis, civic elections will be held as per schedule (in end-January, when the wave is likely to peak) and the Gangasagar mela will be held, although with Calcutta HC-imposed restrictions. This is when more and more arriving pilgrims are testing positive for Covid. TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee had a few days ago said that ideally elections should not be held for the next few months. But the party has not appealed to the state election commission to postpone the civic polls. Also, it is submission before the Calcutta HC, the state government had pleaded that the Gangasagar mela be allowed to be held as many pilgrims had already arrived and most others were on their way. But these twin events are likely to result in an administrative nightmare and push up the positivity rate further.
On the other hand, while the state government has imposed several Covid restrictions on activities, in Kolkata, it is business as usual as everything is running. The wholesale markets are functioning at full capacity and Covid protocols are not being followed. Elsewhere too, masking and maintaining physical distance is not being followed. It is leading to a point where if the situation turns worse, the medical infrastructure in the state will be totally overwhelmed. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had said that the state government will take further decisions after reviewing the situation. The time to do so is now.
