BJP leader tests Covid-positive; woman dies -Seven other fresh cases found in Siliguri town

SNS, SILIGUR1, 18 JUNE 2020: A BJP leader from Siliguri has tested positive for Covid-19, making him one of the eight new cases detected in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation area today.

BJP leaders alleged that the test report of the general secretary of the Siliguri(Organisational) District, Raju Saha, was given after his seven-day period of home isolation was over. "His swab was collected on 6 June and he remained in home quarantine for seven days, according to guidelines. But due to the delayed process of the health department, his reports arrived only last night. Mr Saha had already resumed party activities in between, and those who were in touch with him for the past four days have been quarantined." said the president of the Siliguri (Organisational) District of the MP Pravin Agarwal. Mr Saha is a resident of Ward 15.

It is learnt that Mr Saha had recently attended a meeting where the party's state vice-president Raju Banerjee and Darjeeling MP Raju Bista were present. He has been admitted in the hospital for Covid 19 patients in Jalpaiguri.

Two cases were found in Ward 46, one each in Wards 4, 8, 14, 15, 20, 42 and one in the Kharibari block. Also today, a woman, 45, who was admitted in the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (RICU) of the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital died today. She had tested positive for Covid- 19. It is learnt that the woman is a resident of Kadamtala under the Matigara block. Seven Covid -positive persons have died in Darjeeling district so far.

Separately, four employees of the NBMCH were also tested positive for the novel coronavirus today

Bhattacharya stable

Former Siliguri mayor and veteran CPI-M leader Asok Bhattacharya is "clinically stable," doctors attending to him at a private hospital said today. A health bulletin issued by Neotia Getwel Healthcare Centre at Matigara said that "though he had a spell of fever last night, he is now stable" State tourism minister Gautam Deb, in a written message to the Press, said he spoke to Mr Bhattacharya's wife and asked her not to hesitate if she needed any support for proper treatment of Mr Bhattacharya. Mr Deb also said that Mr Bhattacharya responded to his message this morning.

Sources said Minister Mr Deb himself took initiatives to take care of Mr Bhattacharya and decided not to shift him to other hospitals marked for the treatment of Covid patient.

Mr Bhattacharya was admitted in the hospital on Tuesday, while he tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday. It is learnt that Mr Bhattacharya, who is the chairman of the Board of Administrators at the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, has been suffering from other health problems, including pneumonia, blood sugar, and heart ailments.

On the other hand, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista tweeted and prayed for Mr Bhattacharya's speedy recovery.

Sources said state government officials from Nabanna keeping a close watch on MrBhattacharya's health and asked disctrict authorities to take proper for his speedy recovery.

MMCH health workers put up protest 

In Malda all categories of staff at the Malda Medical College and Hospital this morning served a memorandum to the Principal of the institution, demanding sufficient personal protection equipment (PPE), N95 masks, sanitizers, and health checkup.They also demanded that health workers be saved from landlords, who are allegedly harassing them. The memorandum said that the staff members could suspend work if steps are not taken within three days.

The Medical Superintendent and Vice Principal (NEW), Dr Amit Dawn, said, "the issue is very grave and we have already requested the district magistrate and the police superintendent to take care of the matter related to rented houses. The other demands are being taken care of." According to Malda SP Alok Rajoria, the police have issued a helpline number for doctors, nurses and health workers. "They can contact us about any such problems related to landlords," he said.

On the other hand, 17 more Covid- 19 cases were detected in Malda, taking the total number of affected to 351 in the district. The fresh cases have been detected in Kaliachak I and III (five cases), Chanchal I (four), English Bazaar and Manikchak (two each) and one each in Harishchandrapur I, Ratua I and II, and Gazole.