13 fresh cases in Darj dist; count crosses 100 mark - Sixty five active Covid-19 cases, 47 discharged

SNS, SILIGURI, 8 JUNE 2020: The number of Covid 19 cases in Darjeeling district crossed the 100-mark, with 13 fresh infections recorded in the past 24 hours.

According to the daily health bulletin issued by the department of health and family welfare of the West Bengal government, with 102 cases so far in the district, 13 new cases were detected as on 7 June. The number of active Covid- 19 cases stands at 65, while 47 persons were discharged.

In Siliguri, at least five new positive cases were detected in the last 24 hours. Among them is a resident of Phansidewa block, one from Kharibari and another from Matigara block in the Siliguri Sub Division. Another person was tested positive in Santipara under the Bhaktinagar police station in Jalpaiguri district, sources at the health department said.

Sources also said that a woman has tested positive at Dagapur in Siliguri, while she does not have any travel history, she had been frequenting a private nursing home in Siliguri for her gall bladder problems, a source said.

On the other hand, a woman from Naxalbari undergoing treatment in the Covid hospital in Siliguri last night sneaked out of the hospital and returned later with her baby. The Covid- positive woman had given birth to the baby recently, while authorities had yesterday "discharged" the infant from the hospital. "She later sneaked out and returned with the baby." sources said.

Malda reports five new Cases

Five new Covid- 19 cases in Malda included a nursing staff of the Malda Medical College and Hospital. This is the second case where a nurse has been infected in the district. The first nurse from Gazole was released from the Covid hospital at Narayanpur under the Malda police station this morning in the presence of district officials like ADM G Ashok Modak. Among the other four positive cases, three are from Gazole and one from Habibpur block, sources said.

Five in Alipurduar

Five Covid-19 cases were reported in Alipurduar today. All the five belong to the Alipurduar-II Block and their samples were taken from different quarantine centres, sources said.They have been admitted in the Topsikhata Covid hospital. The total number of Covid-19 cases in the district has now gone up to 48, sources said.

Covid -positive woman gives birth

In Alipurduar town, a woman who has tested positive for Covid-19, gave birth to a female child at the government hospital yesterday.

"The child has been separated from her mother and the district health department has taken steps to test the baby for Covid- 19." a source said. It is learnt that the brother of the woman, a migrant worker of Alipurduar Block-I, had been tested positive for the virus earlier. The institutional birth took place in an isolation ward in the hospital, health department sources said. "We are yet to have the report of the baby's swab test. We will take steps according to the report. The baby and mother both are doing well now," said the Deputy CMOH -2 in Alipurduar, Dr Subarna Goswami.

'Corona Puia' in Balurghat

Meanwhile, residents of Batkrishna pally near Uttamasha Club and Atryee Coloni under the Balurghat municipality in South Dinajpur performed what they called the 'corona puja' this morning More than 50 women performed different rituals after a whole day of fasting and prayed that the coronavirus is contained soon.

"We prayed to the goddess Corona. The goddess has instructed us to worship her and she will blow away the virus with her within a few days through a cyclone." one of the women said.

The pujas were held in the open playground, and the devotees offered the "goddess" flowers and sweets and burnt incense to appease her. "However, the worshipers were so excited that they forgot to wear masks and maintain social distance. At both the places scores of viewers watched the rituals," sources said.