Two die in Siliguri, markets close , 15 newCovid cases detected in Siliguri Municipal Corporation areas- Bista alleges `faulty' Covid tests

SNS, 22 JUNE 2020, SILIGURI : Two more persons who had tested positive for Covid-19 died in Siliguri today. A 71- year-old-person of Ward 2 was admitted in the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH), while a 72 year-old resident of Ward 14 also died in the dedicated Covid hospital. On the other hand, around 16 new cases were detected in Darjeeling district today, including several under the Siliguri Municipal Corporation area.

Darjeeling district chief medical officer of health, Dr Pralay Acharya,confirmed the two deaths.Ten persons who had tested positive for the virus have died in the district so far, of whom eight were residents of SMC areas.

Sources said around 15 positive cases were registered in the SMC area today, including in areas that fall under Jalpaiguri district too. Four cases were reported in Ward 2, three in Ward 46, two in Ward 42, and one case each in Ward 1, 19, 31, 38, and 41. Meanwhile, two prominent markets in Siliguri will be closed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Traders at Bidhan Market decided that the market will remain closed from 24 to 28 June. More than 10 traders in the market have tested positive for the virus so far.

Traders of Hong Kong Market that sell foreign products, especially Chinese goods, also decided to close the market till 30 June.

Bidhan market, one of the oldest and largest organised markets, houses around 4,000 shops and hundreds of makeshift stalls.

Twelve traders were infected with Covid-19 and one has died. Thus it prompted us to close the market from 24 June to 28 June to prevent the spread of the disease. However, medicine shops, fish and meat markets will remain open," said the secretary of the Bidhan Market Byabsayee Samity, Bapi Saha.

"We were forced to takethe closure call after some traders of Bidhan Market nearby tested positive for Covid-19. In order to ensure the safety of traders and workers, we have decided to shut the market till 30 June," said the secretary of the Hong Kong Market Byabsayee Smity, Bhabotosh Saha.

There are around 1000 shops, including makeshift stalls along the roadsides, at Hong Kong Market.

More than 5000 people are associated with Hong Kong Market. We have faced great losses in the past few months. The market is dependent mainly on tourists," Mr Saha added. However, another market nearby, Seth Srilal Market, will not follow suit. Traders there said they would rather regulate the entry of customers.

PWC meeting at Siliguri Hospital

The Patient Welfare Committee (PWC) of the Siliguri District Hospital has stressed on continuing services for patients with suspected symptoms of Covid-19. A meeting decided that all health care providers who come in contact with patients regularly, will be given PPEs, including those at the dialysis unit, CT scan, X-ray, and kitchen staff.

PWC chairman Dr Rudranath Bhattacharya said the hospital will continue its services for general patients as well as for patientss uttering from severe acute respiratory infection and influenza like illness. The hospital has arranged for 20 isolation beds in the medicine ward, and 10 beds in the labour ward.

Dr Bhattacharya also said the hospital was ready for the treatment of dengue cases.

Bista alleges `faulty' Covid tests

Darjeeling MP Raju Bista heaved a sigh of relief after a Siliguri-based BJP leader tested negative for Covid- 19, some days after he was tested positive for the virus. Mr Bista alleged that the state govermnent "mislabelled" Siliguri's BJP general secretary Raju Saha as having the virus that the government's Covid testing system was faulty.

"For the past few days, rumours have circulated to mislead the people that I travelled to Delhi after one of the BJP office bearers in Siliguri tested Covid positive. I have come to know that a few social media pages were put under immense pressure to publish malicious rumours against me. I am sharing these facts with our people, because I have realized that not confronting lies and liars only emboldens them," the MP said in a statement.

"The absolute apathy and indifference of the West Bengal government towards North Bengal region is why Siliguri BJP leader, General Secretary, Raju Shah, was mislabelled as being Covid Positive. While his test was conducted a long time ago, his results were shared only on 18 June," the MP alleged.

Coming down heavily on the state government, Mr Bista added: "Mr Shah was again subjected to a swab test recently, and now he has been sent back home after testing negative. If only the West Bengal government had conducted tests on time and more importantly shared their results on time, many people like Raju Shah wouldn't have to suffer the agony of being labelled as Covid-positive.This is where West Bengal government has failed our people. They have absolutely disregarded the mental trauma their delayed and faulty tests have put on the people."

It maybe recalled here that Mr Saha's Covid test report that the BJP leaders received on 17 June showed that he was positive for the virus. Mr Bista, state BJP vice-president Raju Banerjee and Mr Saha had held meetings and a press conference in Siliguri prior to that. However Mr Bista and Mr Banerjee, who had come in close contact with Mr Saha, left Siliguri on 18 June, despite the fact that Mr Saha's report showed him carrying the virus,a move that drew criticism from certain quarters.