Kolkata, Apr 19 (IANS): A COVID-19 positive senior citizen died at a state-run hospital in Kolkata, taking the number of deaths in West Bengal due to the virus to three in 24 days.

According to state health department sources, Mantu Ram Bor (79) was admitted to the state-run Infection Disease (ID) Hospital in North Kolkata for quite some time. He had co-morbidities and passed away on Tuesday.

The first COVID-related death in 2023 was reported on March 25, when Gobindo Kundu (72), a resident of Nadia district, succumbed to it. This death was reported after a gap of three months.

The second death on this count was reported on April 13, when Bhaskar Das (76), a resident of Regent Park area in Kolkata died in a city-based private hospital.

On Tuesday evening, the West Bengal health department issued an advisory asking people to go for maximum use of facemasks at public places.

The advisory also advised people that if anyone is detected COVID-19 positive he or she should stay in home-isolation for at least a week. "If your symptoms aggravate or you start feeling shortness of breath (or oxygen separation keeps falling), report to a hospital or doctor immediately," the advisory read.

If a young child or person at higher risk turns COVID-19 positive, the person concerned must be taken to a hospital or doctor without any delay, it added.