Highest single-day Covid spike in Malda -Seventy-five new cases include 14 at the Malda Police Station

SNS, SILIGURI, 14 July 2020: Malda district saw its highest single-day spike in Covid-19 cases, when the VRDL in the Malda Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) tested 75 samples positive for the coronavirus last evening. Fourteen of the fresh cases are from the Malda police station. A cook in the police station had tested positive for the virus, while she had also been operating her tea stall there, it is learnt the Old Malda police station has been cordoned off as a containment zone.

On the other hand, a woman has fled from the Matri-Ma section of the MMCH leaving her new born son. Both of them have been tested positive for the virus, sources said.

Most of the other fresh cases are from the English Bazaar Muncipality and Old Malda areas.

Over 1300 Covid-19 cases have been detected in the district so far, while 800 of them have been cured. 40 fresh cases in South Dinajpur. 

In South Dinajpur district, 40 new Covid cases have been detected, reports that came in from the last night showed. Of the new cases, five are from the Balurghat Municipality area, which has taken the totaltally of cases in the town to 46. Six others are from Gangarampur, 14 from Kumarganj, one from Kushmandi, one from Gangarampur, one from Tapan and 11 from Buniadpur, sources said.

"Most of the fresh patients do not have travel history. Among the infected are some government workers, political leaders, court workers and

bus workers," sources said, adding that most of them are asymptomatic.

The fresh cases have taken the total number of Covid cases in the district to 400. However, the health department puts the figure at 409, including people from the district who have tested positive outside.

Sources also said that 265 patients have been discharged after treatment.

One in Alipurduar

Alipurduar also reported one new case today. The number of Covid-19 cases in the district stands at 208, while 189 of them have been cured, sources said.

One dies in Siliguri

Meanwhile, a patient from Champasari in Siliguri, who had tested positive for Covid-19, died in the respiratory intensive care unit of the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital. The 70- year-old was admitted there yesterday.

On the other hand, around 36 cases have been detected in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation area in the last 24 hours. A police officer of the rank of inspector in-charge of a police station has also tested positive for the virus, sources said.

Health department plans sero-study

The number of Covid-19 cases in Darjeeling district is all set to cross the 1000 mark, even as the Health Department said it will conduct a study on the lines of an earlier survey done by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

According to the daily health bulletin issued by the health department, the district has 957 cases as of 13 July. The number of active cases is 349.

As Siliguri witnesses a rising graph of new cases and unabated deaths, the health department is planning to conduct a serological survey to determine the extent of the coronavirus transmission in north BengaL

The apex body for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research in the country, the ICMR had carried out the first nationwide sero- survey in May to check for community spread of the virus and to understand the sero- prevalence of the SARS-CoV-2 in more than 60 districts, including six in West Bengal. Only Alipurduar district was included in the study in north Bengal.

"We are planning to hold a similar study in north Bengal. On the other hand, random sampling in the districts is being conducted. This will help us to determine the situation whether there is community spread," said the officer on special duty of health and family welfare,north Bengal, Dr Susanta Kumar Roy.

Venous blood samples from 400 randomly selected persons in 10 clusters had shown four persons positive and the unweighted prevalence was one percent in Alipurduar district

The health department has taken the initiative at a time when the ICMR is set to conduct its second nationwide serological suvery to determine the exposure of Covid-19 among the country's population.

Dr Roy said they will hold a meeting to draw up a plan for the study.

Traders write to CM

Demanding 'blanket lock-down' in Siliguri to contain the spread of the coronavirus, traders have knocked the doors of CM Mamata Banerjee.

The Eastern ABC Chamber of Commerce & Industries (EABCCCI), an apex body of 121 organisations of north Bengal, said only such a move can prevent the cases from surging.

"The West Bengal government had taken a rational decision to impose the lockdown from 22 March, two days before the nationwide lockdown announced by the Centre. So we are expecting a similar decision of the state government in the interest of the people of Siliguri. The blanket lockdown in the entire Siliguri at least for two weeks is needed for flattening the Covid curve," EABCCCI convener Surajit Paul said. The organisation sent the to the CM yesterday.

Mr Paul said they had carried out a survey to understand the opinions of the common people.

"Most of the people are in favour of the blanket lockdown in the town," Mr Paul said.

(Courtesy & Source- The Statesman- https://epaper.thestatesman.com/2749762/Siliguri-The-Statesman/15TH-JULY-2020#page/2/2)