West Bengal reported 60 fresh COVID-19 cases on Wednesday since Tuesday, bringing the total of the state’s active cases to 432.

On Tuesday, a seven month-old in a private hospital in Bengal tested positive. The child’s mother is also symptomatic and is awaiting her test results.

The state recently recorded its first COVID-19 death of the season: a 43-year-old woman from Howrah died on Tuesday after she was hospitalized with pneumonia and later tested positive for COVID-19.

This marked West Bengal’s first COVID-related death this year, with the state having seen a rapid surge in cases after reporting only one in the first week of May, followed by 12 more in the second week, and a sharp increase in the third, according to the Centre’s COVID dashboard.

Despite the rise in cases, a senior health official stated, “We are monitoring the situation; however, there is nothing to panic about. What is important is to maintain protocol and keep sanitizing yourself to stay away from the virus.”

West Bengal, as one of India’s most densely populated states, faced significant challenges in managing the initial waves of the pandemic. Kolkata, its capital, recorded its first COVID-19 case on March 15, 2020.

While no official advisory has been issued by the state health department regarding the current surge yet, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has initiated precautionary measures. Authorities are stepping up surveillance and testing, particularly in urban and high-density regions. Experts continue to advise mask-wearing in crowded places, hand hygiene, and booster vaccinations for vulnerable groups.