The COVID-19 pandemic on Saturday claimed the life of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s younger brother, Ashim Banerjee, at a hospital in Kolkata. The Chief Minister’s brother had tested positive for COVID-19 and was undergoing treatment, Dr Alok Roy, Chairman, Medica Superspecialty Hospital in Kolkata informed.As per the Union Health Ministry, there are currently 1,31,792 active COVID-19 cases in West Bengal. A total of 9,50,017 recoveries and 12,993 deaths have been reported so far. On Friday, West Bengal registered its highest single-day spike of 20,846 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 10,94,802, the health department said in its bulletin. The toll rose to 12,993 after 136 more people, including five eminent doctors, succumbed to the infection, the bulletin said. Of the 136 deaths, 67 were due to comorbidities where COVID-19 was incidental. North 24 Parganas district accounted for 42 fatalities and Kolkata 34.Senior BJP leader Mukul Roy and his wife Krishna are among those who contracted the disease. Roy, who is the saffron party’s vice president, is currently undergoing home isolation, sources in the health department said.
