Cases of fresh Covid-19 infections continued to climb up, as Darjeeling district recorded 440 new ones in the past 24 hours. The Siliguri Municipal Corporation, including areas that fall under Jalpaiguri district, registered 310 cases, sources said today.

One hundred and two cases were detected in Matigara block, 34 in Naxalbari, 25 in Sukna, 11 in Kurseong Municipality, nine in Phansidewa, seven cases in Darjeeling Municipality, six cases each in Mirik, Sukhia Pokhari and Kharibari, two cases in Bijanbari and one in Takdah. Meanwhile, 13 persons, including a month-old baby, who had tested positive for Covid-19, died in Siliguri in the past 24 hours.

The one-month-two-dayold girl of Barogharia in Cooch Behar district had been admitted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital on 27 April. She died there today, sources said, adding that this was one of the youngest Covid-19 casualties in the region so far.

Six others–a 65-year-old resident of Dasarath Pally under the Bhaktinagar police station in Siliguri, a 55-yearold woman from Matigara, a 58-year-old woman from Tindharia in Kurseong, a 75-yearold resident of Matigara, a 51-year-old resident of Matigara and a 45-year-old resident of Malbazaar also died at the NBMCH.

A 79-year-old resident of Behrampur, a 65-year-old woman from Jalpaiguri, and a 43-year-old resident of Raiganj died in a private hospital, while a 70-year-old woman from Pradhannagar also died in a private nursing home. Meanwhile, a 70-year-old resident of Ghogomali in Siliguri died in a safe home at the Siliguri Municipal Corporation Indoor Stadium last night.

A 62-year-old resident of 2nd Mile area in Siliguri also died in a private hospital. Ruckus at pvt hospital Tension prevailed at a private nursing home at Matigara in Siliguri after the hospital management allegedly asked patient parties to “shift” their patients, including those suffering from Covid-19, after an on-duty doctor was allegedly assaulted by relatives of a patient today.

Many family members expressed concerns and worry over the “arbitrary order” of the private health facility. The hospital management, however, ruled out the allegations. “The hospital officials asked the patient parties to shift their patients. My relative has been admitted there in the ICU and is on ventilator support, as he is suffering from Covid19. Despite a frantic search, we failed to get a bed in other health facilities.

Like us, they also asked others to vacate the hospital. There are around 40 patients undergoing treatment there. What will they do?” said a relative of a patient. An official at the hospital, on the other hand, refuted the allegations.

“We have not asked them to do anything like that, but we are unable to admit further patients,” said an official there. A police complaint has been lodged after a relative of the patient allegedly assaulted a doctor following her death. Health department officials later intervened in the matter, based on the allegations, it is learnt.