3 persons test positive for COVID-19 in Bengal

Kolkata, Dec 22 (PTI) Three persons including a six-month-old baby tested positive for COVID-19 in West Bengal, officials said on Friday.

However, it was yet to be ascertained whether the trio were infected by the new JN.1 strain of COVID-19, they said.

The child, a resident of neighbouring Bihar, is undergoing treatment at the Medical College and Hospital Kolkata (MCHK) while the other two are admitted at two separate private hospitals, they said.

“These were suffering from high fever, cough and cold. and underwent RT-PCR and tested positive for COVID-19,” the officer of the private hospital said.

When contacted a senior official of the West Bengal Health Department said that they were “keeping a tab” on this.

“The state health department never said that COVID-19 has been eradicated. We have to realise that this is going to stay. As of now, we have not come across any such case. However, our department is very much vigilant,” the official told PTI.

The state health department will continue its surveillance of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) cases as per the guidelines of the Centre, he added.

On Wednesday, the West Bengal Health Department and other states participated in a COVID-19 review meeting with the Union Health Ministry.