Dept tries to trace Siliguri infection source

SNS, SILIGURI, 27 MAY 2020: A 28-year-old woman admitted in the isolation ward of the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) was tested positive for Covid- 19 today. On the other hand, two days after a tea worker tested positive in the Siliguri sub-division, the health department is still trying to figure out how and where the 28-year-old woman must have contracted the virus as she has no recent travel history. The woman from the Naxalbari block yesterday gave birth to a female baby at the NBMCH, where doctors said their condition was stable. The first Covid test of the newborn was negative, sources said.

In today's new case, the woman, a resident of ward 35, had travelled to Chennai for treatment for her kidney ailments recently. She was admitted in the NBMCH isolation ward on 25 May'the health department sources said around nine persons, including her family members, have been quarantined.

Darjeeling district chief medical officer of health Dr Pralay Acharya said they were examining reports of the Naxalbari woman, while NBMCH doctors said the mother and the newborn might be shifted to the dedicated hospital for the Covid -19 patients at Matigara in the town.

NGOs to monitor quarantine

State tourism minister Gautam Deb today said that voluntary organisations, NGOs will monitor the quarantine of people coming in from outside. "Siliguri is a very sensitive place, with people in large numbers always on the move. The chances of infection spreading are also very high here. while Covid cases are on rise. We all need to be very careful and aware Voluntary organisations will cooperate with the administration in tackling the situation." Mr Deb said after a meeting with NGO representatives.

Asok for more labs

With mounting pressure on sample testing for Covid-19 and delay in issuing reports, the chairperson of the board of administrators (BOA) Siliguri Municipal Corporation, Asok Bhattacharya, has demanded more laboratories for north Bengal. According to him, even private facilities should be allowed to carry out tests on the lines of Kolkata, with approval from the Indian Council of Medical Research. He also demanded at least one permanent health officer to improve the health infrastructure of the civic body especially in tackling Covid-19.

"Many people are coming in the region almost daily, including migrant workers, but there has been inordinate delay in the Covid tests. Around 7,000 samples have been collected, while there are only two government- run laboratories (Viral Research & Diagnostics Laboratory) in north Bengal. If necessary, private laboratories, which are well equipped and have proper infrastructure, can be roped in for Covid 19 tests. The state government should take immediate initiatives on this issue. I will write to the state govemment." Mr Bhattacharya said today. According to government rules no diagnostic laboratory in the country can conduct Covid- 19 tests without the approval of the ICMR.

Mr Bhattacharya also said that the number of quarantine centres should be increased.

He said only one health officer, who holds the additional responsibility of the civic body was not enough. There has been no full time doctor in five posts under the SMC. Mr Bhattacharya also demanded extensive screenings at bus terminuses and railway stations, as many persons went away without screening. He said the corporation will distribute around 10,000 leaflets among residents over Covid- 19.

He added that the civic body had not received funds from the state government to tackle the pandemic.

Child discharged from hospital

A seven-year-old child, who was tested positive a day after his father was found carrying the coronavirus in Ward 6 in Siliguri, was discharged from hospital today. His father, a fruit seller along with another man from Ward 27 had tested positive on 18 May.They were released from hospital yesterday.