Summary:
Kolkata, Oct 21 (PTI) West Bengal"s Covid tally rose to 15,83,646 on Thursday after 833 more people tested positive for the infection as a Kolkata Municipal Corporation official attributed the spike to lack of safety protocols followed by people during Durga puja festivities last week.
Fourteen new fatalities pushed the death toll to 19,021, a Health Department bulletin said.
Atin Ghosh, KMC board member in-charge of Health, told reporters that the spike, though anticipated, was caused by a large section of people moving around for puja shopping and pandal hopping without wearing masks and overcrowding at certain spots.
"The figures are not that alarming though Covid cases are on steady rise.
Many cases are asymptomatic and we have to watch out till next week," Ghosh explained.
Meanwhile, Kolkata recorded the highest number of new cases at 232, followed by North 24 Parganas at 143, the bulletin said.