Covid patients die in Darj and Raiganj: 220 cases in Darj dist

SNS, DARJLEELING, RAIGUNJ, 11 JANUARY 22: A woman in her late fifties, who had contracted Covid-19, died at the Darjeeling District Hospital here this morning, making her the first Covid person to die in the "third wave" that experts say has already started.

According to sources, the woman from Darjeeling subdivision had been admitted to the Darjeeling hospital a few days ago.

On the other hand, the health department and the district administration have said they have already started preparations to combat the "third wave."

'There are more than 30 active cases reported in the past two weeks, but the symptoms are mild and the recovery rate is at the maximum. Most of the patients are getting better after a few days of home isolation," Darjeeling District hospital Superintendent Dr Subasish Chanda said.

On the preparations, he said, "We have started a Covid ICU and another on e for children. Apart from that, we have a 70-bed ward for Covid patients. Work is also going on for a negative pressure ventilation, which will lessen the infection spread in the ward."

According to him, the drive to administer the booster dose of the Covid vaccine also started for three categories today—for age 60 plus, health workers and frontline workers. Dr Chanda further said that safe homes for Covid patients will also start functioning within a couple of days at Batasia in the town.

In North Dinajpur district, a 14-year-old boy of Chirilepara in Kaliyaganj, who had contracted Covid-19, died in the Raiganj Medical College & Hospital this afternoon. The death sent shockwaves in the locality as local people said that it was fort he first time that a boy below 15 years of age had died after contracting Covid in the district.

The Vice Principal of the Raiganj Medical College, Dr Priyankar Roy, said the boy, who had symptoms of epilepsy, had been earlier admitted in the Kaliyaganj State General hospital. "On 2 January, he was shifted to the Raiganj Medical College & Hospital He was kept in the general CCU, where he had tested positive for Covid-19. On 5 January, he was shifted to the Covid CCU, where he died today," Dr Roy said.

On the other hand, 46 persons in different wards of the Raiganj municipality tested positive for the virus today, sources said. On the other hand, police arrested 32 persons, who were moving around in markets without masks in Raiganj town.

"We have started a drive against people without the face mask at different public places. Today, we arrested 32 such persons and cases have been started against them as per the Disaster Management Act," Inspector in-charge at the Raiganj Police station, Saurav Sen, said.

220 cases in Darj dist

Darjeeling district recorded 220 new Covid cases today. The Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) area, covering 14 wards of Jalpaiguri district, logged 99 cases. The SMC area covering Darjeeling district registered 86 cases. The Naxalbari and Matigara blocks reported 40 and 32 cases respectively. Health department reports said 15 persons had recovered from Covid-19 or completed their home isolation in the district today.