Covid: Tight watch over Siliguri

Jyotinagar in ward no. 41

SNS, SILIGURI 19 April 2020: The health department has kept areas under a three -km radius at Jyotinagar in Siliguri under strict surveillence. Officials of the department said they had taken a decision to tighten the lockdown in the area, where four positive cases of COVED-19 were found. All thefour had come in contact with the first Covid-19 victim of north Bengal. The four members however, have been cured now.

"According to the public heath rules, a three km radius in the area has been brought under tight surveillance. There is. however, nothing to worry about and the situation is under control.

People should follow the lockdown," said the officer on special duty for Covid-19 in north Bengal, Dr Susanta Roy.

Sources said the steps were taken to ensure proper lockdown as positive cases had been found in the area. A door-to-door survey in the area has also been conducted.

213 in police net :

Around 213 persons were arrested for violating the lockdown in Darjeeling district, including the Plains, in the past 24 hours.

Infrastructure of Covid hospital:

Infrastructure development work at the hospital meant for treatment of suspected Covid-19 and positive patients are underway in Jalpaiguri. The hospital has already come up at the Biswa Bangla Krirangan with 150 beds for patients suffering from severe acute respiratory infection and influenza-like-illness, and another 150 beds have been arranged for positive patients.

"We have focused on preparedness to tackle Covid-19 in the district. As part of making the facility independent. a pathological laboratory will be set up there and we are expecting it to be ready within two days. Ventilators, a dialysis unit, protable x-ray, and multi-channel monitors have already been installed. Atleast 20 nursing staff members are available with a minimum three doctors at time at the hospital," Dr Roy said.

People face problem: 

Several people in Siliguri are in a tight spot as Covid- 19 has forced most doctors to cut themselves off from patients.

Functionaries of the Indian Medical Assotiation (IMA) have advised people to stick to telephone consultations unless there is an emergency. Doctors said around 7.000 patients would visit them daily at private health facilities and clinics during normal times. Many people said telephonic conversations were not enough to meet their problems.

"The Out Patient Departments at nursing homes are closed, while doctors are attending to emergency bases only. People can discuss with doctors over the phone, and the numbers have already been made available. Many doctors are even attending 50 calls on an average daily," said a senior functionary of the IMA. Dr Pijush Roy.

A doctor said meeting patients privately will jeopardise the social distancing norm.