Four die in NBMCH- two test negative -NBU staff tests negative -Seven cases in Siliguri, two in Kurseong sub-div

SNS, SILIGURI, 12 JUNE 2020: Four patients, including three in the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (RICO), have died in the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) in the past 24 hours, sources have said. While a 13-year-old boy was among the dead in the RICU, the other person died in the isolation ward, it is learnt. Confirming the deaths, an official said that two of the cases in the RICU, however, tested negative for Covid-19, while the reports of the other two were awaited.

Two persons who had tested positive for the virus died in the RICU yesterday.

Seven cases in Siliguri, two in Kurseong sub-div

On the other hand, around 10 persons tested positive for Covid- 19 in Darjeeling district today, and seven of them hail from the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) area.

Sources said a doctor of the Matigara Block Primary health Centre, who was on duty in the dedicated hospital for Covid 19 patients in Siliguri, has also tested positive for the virus.

According to sources, the seven are residents of SMC wards including 17,40, 45 and 46. Two persons hail from the Kurseong sub division.

NBU staff tests negative

A staff of the North Bengal University (NBU) library and his son have tested negative for Covid-19. The university closed the library on 10 lune, following information that the wife of the library staff had tested positive for the virus, and that he worked in the library on 8 and 9 June.

University registrar Dr Dilip Kumar Sarkar today said the Covid test reports of the staff and his child were negative. Dr Sarkar said the library was disinfected. The library will reopen after 14 days, he said.

No fresh case in Malda

No Covid-positive case was found in Malda as it tested around 600 throat swab samples in the Malda Medical College and Hospital last night. One labourer from Chanchal I block who returned to Malda from Delhi on a motorcycle, had, meanwhile, tested positive for the virus in Delhi. The report reached Malda, while he himself went straight to the MMCH yesterday, while he was later admitted to the Covid hospital at Narayanpur.

Panel to implement Siliguri market guidelines

A separate committee has been set up to implement guidelines for markets under the Siliguri Municipal Corporation for the Covid-19 situation.

The committee, headed by the civic body commissioner Sonam Wangdi Bhutia as its chairman, will ensure that the markets follow the guidelines strictly, especially the social distancing and santisation norms.

Administrative officers said markets were getting crowded and risks of the novel coromnirus transmission couldnot be ruled out. There around 73 big markets spread across the SMC area, while around 17 of them are cowillnsidered major trading hubs.

"We have decided to form a separate committee for the markets to take up preventive measures to combat Covid-19. The committee  be led by the SMC commissioner, and it will issue guidelines to market committees," Darjeeling DM S Ponnambalam said.

Mr Ponnambalam chaired a meeting of the district level task force set up to review the pandemic situation today.

"We have also decided that a committee will be set up under every gram panachayat (GP). The block level task forces have been assigned to form the committees which will monitor the containment zones--whether the rules are being strictly followed, ensuring supply of essential commodities for persons inside the zones," the DM said. There are 22 GPs in the Siliguri Sub-Division.

Meanwhile, fish traders in the Siliguri Wholesale Fish Merchants'Association today requested the DM to allow them to empty their stock, a day after the district administration closed down the fish market at the Siliguri iRegulated Market for seven days after some Covid-19 cases were reportedly linnked to the market. An employee of a fish stall died in the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital and tests confirmed he had Covid-19.

The vice-president of the association, Partha Banerjee, said they had closed their stalls following the order, but that they could not release around 50 tons of fish within such a short notice. There are more than 200 stalLs in the market. "We agreed to the closure decision, but we have requested the DM to allow us to take out fish already stored. Around 40 tons of fish worth around Rs 40 lakh have been stored there." Mr Banerjee said.

Later, Mr Ponnambalam said the administration had allowed one-two persons to take out the fish.

It is further learnt that the wholesale vegetable shops at the Regulated Market will remain closed for around 3- 4 days from Monday, as authorities plan to disinfect the entire area.