Covid cases keep rising in Siliguri -Seven cases detected in one single area; Five health workers of private hospital in town test positive for the virus

SNS, SILIGURI, 14 JUNE 2020: Seven persons from the same area under the Dabgram-II grampanchayat (GP) in Rajganj block in Jalpaiguri district have tested positive for Covid- 19, sources said. The highest single day spike in the area Khudiram Pally left local residents there worried.

It is suspected that those persons had come in contact with a person, who had tested positive on 6 June. The person used to work at a tailoring shop in Siliguri. His daughter in-law and younger son were also tested positive, along with other neighbours, which included a two-year-old child, the sources said.

It is learnt that swab samples of 16 persons were tested and seven of them were found carrying the coronavirus.

The Pradhan of the Dabgram-II GP, Sudha Singha Chatterjee, said they were making people aware of the situation and trying to calm them down, given the fear and panic. "We are taking necessary steps to ensure that those families get all the essential items." she said.

Cases cross 200 mark

Covid-19 cases crossed the 200 mark in Darjeeling district with seven cases registered in the last 24 hours. The total number of cases had gone up to 206 so far, according to the health bulletin of the state health and family welfare department prepared on 13 June.

On the other hand, 14 cases were recorded in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) area today, with a spike seen in ward 46, where seven more cases were found. Two cases were reported from Ward 5, and it is also learnt that five health workers of a private nursing home, who had been staying in a hostel in Ward 12, were tested positive for the virus.

Family members level allegations

A day after the death of a paramedical staff, who had tested Covid-19 positive, family members alleged negligence at the Desun Hospital, which has been turned into a designated Covid-19 treatment facility.

Meanwhile, Darjeeling district magistrate S Ponnambalam said precautionary measures should be more strictly followed by frontline health workers.

" Many patients have died in the hospital. I can say there was lack of medicalcare in the case of my brother," said the brother of the deceased. The 56-year old ophthalmic assistant was associated with the Phansidewa Rural Hospital and had also performed duties at the quarantine centre in the block. He had also undergone treatment in two private nursing homes before the admission in Desun Hospital. He was referred to the hospital after being tested positive at one of the nursing homes.

Senior health department officials, however ruled out the allegations.

Mr Ponnambalam, who attended a condolence meeting in his memory at the Phanisidewa Rural Hospital, said precautionary measures and protection of frontline health workers should be strictly followed. "The standard operating procedure issued by the state govemment for front line workers should be followed daily." he said.

51 more test positive in Malda

In Madla, 51 samples were tested positive last night at the VRDL in the Malda Medical College and Hospital. The total number of affected persons in the district climbed up to 312. Bhabanipur and Updel villages of Karkach GP under the Gazole police station was the worst hit in the fresh cases with 38 patients from the area, sources said. Among the others, five are from Chanchal I, four from Manikchak and one each from Habibpur, Ratua I, English Bazaar rural and Old Malda Municipality area.

One fresh case in Alipurduar district

In Alipurduar, one person tested positive in tests carried out in the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital today, it is learnt. The person had returned from Mumbai and was quarantined in Alipurduar Block-II in the district. The person has now been admitted in the Topsikhata Covid hospital, district health official sources said.