Over 2,000 fresh Covid-19 cases were reported across north Bengal in the past 24 hours on Tuesday, said the daily bulletin issued by the state health department on Tuesday.

According to the state health department, 2,155 new cases have been found in the region, with the highest number of patients being recorded in Malda (609), followed by North Dinajpur (435). Also, 403 new cases have been reported from the Darjeeling district. Two people have died in the past 24 hours in the region due to the contagion.

The rise in fresh cases has also led to an increase in the number of active patients. As per the bulletin, There are 14,667 active patients in north Bengal now, half of which are in the districts of Darjeeling (3,334) and Malda (4,347).

“But simultaneously, 1,145 patients have been tested negative in the past 24 hours, which is good news. The case load is higher in five districts of north Bengal. In Kalimpong, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar, the number of cases is comparatively low,” said a health official.

In north Bengal, the lowest number of active patients is in the hill district of Kalimpong (308), where 31 new cases have been reported in the past 24 hours.

Cases have also started increasing in the neighbouring state of Sikkim.

Sikkim recorded 374 new cases and two deaths on Tuesday, which has increased the total Covid19 death toll to 415 in the state.

There are 2,157 active patients in Sikkim as of today (on Tuesday).

“Today, the positivity rate in Sikkim was 24 per cent while the cumulative positivity rate (ever since the first Covid case was reported in the state last year) is 11.9 per cent,” said a source.

The surge in cases has made the civic bodies announce closure of marketplaces once a week. Such restrictions have been imposed in Siliguri and Jalpaiguri civic areas and even in some rural pockets to prevent assemblage of people.

“We are strictly enforcing the restrictions announced by the state government, especially in the night hours. A number of persons have been arrested for travelling after 10pm without any reason,” said an officer of the Siliguri Metropolitan Police.