The Mamata Banerjee government said 17 persons had tested positive for Covid-19 in Bengal on Wednesday and the number of active patients was 132 after five more patients had recovered from the disease.

The government put the death toll at seven and launched an attack on the BJP’s alleged attempt to politicise the pandemic.

At a news conference in Nabanna on Wednesday, chief secretary Rajiva Sinha rolled out the numbers. Then, the chief minister took over to react to the allegations that her government was deliberately testing less number of people to suppress information about the real extent of the outbreak in Bengal.

“Previously, we were allowed two labs, now five or so increased…. Those shouting ‘Tests! Tests! Tests!’, how would we have done it (without clearance from the Centre for testing)? Permissions are now being gradually being given (by the Centre). But without training, testing cannot happen, so, we are having to train them first,” said Mamata.

“Those criticising, delivering lectures from Delhi, ask them, how many (tests) can they do?” she asked.

Mamata then broached the subject of death toll, which, according to the saffron camp, was being fudged by her government.

“Some… have been showing other lies too. We can act according to the Covid-19 regulations in place against them (those that are lying). Some have just written 30 died… where did you get the figure? There should be an FIR against him,” said Mamata.

“I had told the Prime Minister, too, (on April 11). In the presence of all (key ministries of the Centre) that we have an audit committee, a committee of experts, and we don’t interfere. They decide what is a Covid-19 death and what is not. I don’t do it, nor the chief secretary, not the police, not the home secretary, not the health secretary. There is that special committee for this,” she added.

Mamata once again claimed that the state had been performing “exemplarily” in the treatment of Covid-19 patients without co-morbidities, but there was very little that could be done to help those with pre-existing serious conditions of kidneys, lungs, heart and blood. The state’s audit committee has not been adding deaths of Covid-19 patients with co-morbidities to the toll from the pandemic.

“If anybody (from the Centre) had anything to say, they could have said it that day. Even the (Union) health secretary was there. Where is the need for this lukiye lukiye bola (saying from hiding)? Where is the need for khobor khaoano (encouraging reporting of fake news)?” she asked.

Earlier at the news conference, Sinha explained that Bengal had 120 active positive cases till Tuesday. While 17 people tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, five existing patients were cured and released, taking the total number of active positive cases in the state to 132.

“A total of 42 Covid-19 patients have so far been released following recovery…. A total of 3,470 have been tested in Bengal,” said Sinha.

He said a total of 3,25,000 personal protective equipments, 2,17,000 N95 masks, 15,40,000 other masks, 66,000 litres of sanitisers and 6,75,000 gloves had been distributed to hospitals by the state government.

“The death toll remains seven. The audit committee examining deaths will give a report today. If the toll changes, we will inform you tomorrow,” he said.

He added that 7,729 people had been released from 582 state-run quarantine centres, which still had 4,157 people.

After the release of 19,000 people, 37,691 people remain in home quarantine in Bengal, said the chief secretary.