Police enforce strict lockdown, many held- Four persons die

SNS, SILIGURI, 16 JULY 2020: Police at different places in north Bengal like Siliguri and Malda today came down on the streets in full force to enforce a strict lockdown in the administration's bid to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The administration yesterday announced a complete seven- day lockdown in all the 47 wards of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) from today, following a surge in the number of Covid- 19 cases. However, despitethe stricter lockdown, people kept violating the same in Siliguri today.

SMC has recorded more than 800 cases so far, while it witnessed its highest single-day spike in cases (79) yesterday. Around 62 more cases have been found in the corporation area in the past 24 hours. Around 35 persons who had tested positive for the virus have also died in the civic body area so far.

Siliguri police arrested more than 100 persons today for violating the restrictions.

Police also sent back home many people who had ventured out of their homes without valid reasons. Officers were seen using loudhailers to spread awareness and requesting people to stay home. "We understood many people also stepped out for visiting hospitals, buying medicines and for other essential purposes, but at the sante time, there were many who ventured out to 'see' the lock-down," the officer added.

Meanwhile, gram panchayats at Dabgram-I, Dabgram-II, Fulbari- I, Fulbari and Binnaguri under the Rajganj block near Siliguri, expressed concerns after people flouted the restrictions in containment zones. Administrative sources said there is a demand in those areas to enforce a total lockdown for seven days like the SMC.

Four persons die

Four persons, three from Siliguri, who had tested positive for Covid-19, died in three different health facilities today, sources said.

A 53-year-old resident of Madhya Santinagar under Dabgram-II gram panchayat in Jalpaiguri district died at the North Bengal Medical College and hospital. A resident of Sukna near Siliguri also died at the Desun (Covid) hospital today. The 53-year old person was admitted there on 11 July.

A 60-year-old resident of Bihar died in a private nursing home at Pradhannagar. His kidney was transplanted earlier and he was admitted in the hospital around three days ago. A Siliguri resident also died today. It is learnt that he had lung infection.

Among the new cases recorded yesterday, 17 are employees of a nationalized bank. Six cases were reported from Ward 34, four each from wards 4 and 30, and three each from wards 31 and 33, among others. A coordinator of Ward 26 also tested positive for the virus today.

First Covid death in Alipurduar

Alipurduar reported its first Covid- 19 fatality after a patient died in the Covid hospital at Tapsikhata under the Alipurduar police station today. The deceased, 69, was a resident of Ward 9 in the Alipurduar municipality, health officials said.

Malda markets to close

The district administration and the police in Malda have decided to go for a stricter lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19, cases of which have been spiralling by the day.

Markets will be completely closed from tomorrow for three days until Sunday, officials said. Lawyers at the Malda court are also planning to halt work after a judicial magistrate was tested positive for the virus, among the 67 fresh cases of the coronavirus detected in the district. Forty of the new cases are from the Ratua I Block. The total number of cases in Malda has now gone up to 1453. However, 887 of them have been cured so far, officials said.

On the other hand, people in the English Bazaar Municipality (EBM) area today thronged the markets in panic buying as they bought vegetables, fish, meat and other essentials after news ofthe market closure went viral on social media. "Police had to act on the streets to control the

crowd," a source said.

Eight new cases in South Dinajpur

Eight new cases were detected in South Dinajpur district. Sources said three civic volunteers of Tapan were among the new patients.The total number of positive cases in the district now stands at 463, while two persons have died till date. However, 291 have recovered and returned home.

Diet plan

The health department will publish a 'sample meal plan' in the fonn of leaflet for the common people in Jalpaiguri tomorrow. The officer on special duty for Covid- 19 in north Bengal, Dr Susanta Kumar Roy, said it will help people maintain a good immune system.

Left Front requests steps

Darjeeling district Left Front has highlighted delay in Covid- 19 tests, which it said was causing constrains in treatment of patients. It said there should be arrangements for a team of specialist doctors who would support local doctors. Submitting a memorandum on an eight-point charter of demands to the district magistrate, Front leaders today said many private health facilities which have been enlisted for such treatment were refusing patients, while some of them were harassing non Covid-19 patients. District Left Front convener Jibesh Sarkar said that in many cases, relatives of the patients faced problems in getting ambulances.