4 more Covid patients discharged from hospital

Four more patients, who had tested positive and were undergoing treatment for Covid-19, were discharged from hospital today. On the other hand, four patients were admitted in the Desun Hospital, which is meant for suspected Covid- 19 cases and which became operational today.

The four, including a threeyear- old girl, are family members of the first Covid-19 patient in north Bengal, who died on 30 March. Earlier, seven patients, including some family members of the 44-yearold Kalimpong woman, were discharged from Dr Chang’s Hospital at Matigara.

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However, four more patients, including two North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) nurses, are still undergoing treatment there, and their condition is stated to be stable.

Dr Gopal Krishna Dhali, who is monitoring the health infrastructure of Covid-19 in north Bengal on behalf of the state government, said that the four persons who were released today had come in contact with the Kalimpong woman.

Darjeeling district chief medical officer of health Dr Pralay Acharya, and deputy chief medical officer of health- I, Dr Sujay Bishnu, were present during the discharge. Health care providers clapped as they walked out of the hospital. One of the discharged persons and the mother of the child, said they were grateful to chief minister Mamata Banerjee for ensuring proper treatment facilities.

“We have lost one family member, but the rest of us have been cured. I would like to convey my heartfelt thanks to chief minister Mamata Banerjee, the team of doctors and medical staff,” she said. Health department officials said four persons were admitted with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) at the Desun hospital.

Sources said they were referred from the NBMCH after their screening at the Covid-19 OPD today. The doctors said their swab tests will be conducted tomorrow. Sources said adequate testing kits have arrived at the laboratory at the NBMCH today.

At the same time, an expert from the ICMR-NICED is also visiting the laboratory to monitor the technical aspects, it is learnt.On the other hand, five persons, including four police personnel, are undergoing treatment in the respiratory intensive care unit of the NBMCH.

Lockdown violators arrested: At a time when chief minister Mamata Banerjee has asked the administration and the Siliguri Police to remain vigilant and strongly enforce the lockdown, the Siliguri Metropolitan Police swooped down on many people for violating the lockdown in the town.

Police personnel frisked vehicles and quizzed drivers for moving about. Police officers said most of them failed to furnish satisfactory answers. MSC demands fever clinic: The NBMCH unit of the Medical Service Centre (MSC) has demanded that a fever clinic be set up at the hospital to segregate patients suffering from fever and respiratory distress.

It said despite the notice of the state government, no such facility had been set up at the hospital. “It has been a matter of concern that the Indian Council of Medical Research has recommended that patients suffering from SARI, and influenza- like-illness could be potential Covid-19 patients, but the West Bengal government is showing a lackluster attitude in this regard.

Despite the notice issued by the department of health and family welfare directing the medical colleges and hospitals to segregate patients with fever, cough and breathlessness from other cases and send them to designated fever clinics, no step has been taken here,” said an executive member of the MSC, Dr Shahriar Alam.