Kolkata, Dec 30 (IANS): In the midst of the Omicron scare in West Bengal that recorded 11 cases in five days, the upward graph of Covid-19 infections is keeping the state health department on tenterhooks. In the last 24 hours, the fresh Covid infections in the state have crossed the 1,000 mark - for the first time in the last 177 days.

According to the latest data released by the state health department, the number of fresh Covid cases in the state is 1,089 with four districts including Kolkata, Howrah and North and South 24 Parganas recording more than 80 per cent of the cases. The state administration is gearing up to meet the third wave of the deadly virus.

According to data available, of the total 1,089 cases, 540 were detected in Kolkata, 145 in North 24 Parganas, 79 in South 24 Parganas and 60 in Howrah in the last 24 hours.

The state health department said coronavirus claimed lives of 12 people in the same time span.

In addition to that, the state recorded 11 cases of Omicron so far of which five don't have any travel history.

"This is more alarming because if the people are infected by Omicron who don't have any travel history, then somewhere there is a possibility of community spreading. We are trying contact tracing to know the reason behind the spread of the disease," a senior health department official said.

The state health department is gearing up to meet the challenges of the third wave of Covid. In a notification it has has asked all concerned to ramp up testing in the state to at least 40,000 per day.

The health experts are of the opinion that the rapid spread of the virus is a major concern.

The experts said 30,000 to 35,000 people can get infected per day within a short spell.