Five persons who had tested positive for Covid-19 died in health facilities in Siliguri in the past 24 hours. The deceased include a CPI-M leader of Ward 31 in Siliguri and a tea worker of the Naxalbari block. The 53-year-old political activist was suffering from fever and died in a private nursing home today, sources said.

Darjeeling district party secretary Jibesh Sarkar expressed grief over his demise. A tea worker of Naxalbari died in the hospital for Covid- 19 patients at Kawakhali. The 55-year-old was undergoing treatment since 22 July after being referred by the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH).

A 54-year-old woman of the Bhaktinagar area also died in the respiratory intensive care unit of the NBMCH last night. The immediate cause of death was, however, lower respiratory tract infection and sepsis, while the antecedent cause was Covid- 19. A 56-year-old resident of Maynaguri in Jalpaiguri district also died at the Kawakhali hospital today. A man from Ward 24 in Siliguri also died in a private nursing home today.

His swab samples later tested positive for the virus, sources said. On the other hand, 26 new cases were recorded in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation area in the past 24 hours. 53 new cases in Malda Fifty three new Covid cases were detected in Malda last night, taking the total number of affected in the district to over 2000 now.

However, officials said there are only 600 active. Most of the new cases are from the English Bazaar Municipality (19), while Old Malda Municipality followed with 11 and Kaliachak-II block with nine cases, sources said. Three in Alipurduar In Alipurduar district, three persons associated with a private nursing home at Gop Nagar in Falakata were tested positive for the virus today.

Admission of new patients in the private hospital has been stopped now, sources said. Mishra FB post kicks up a row Meanwhile, a Facebook post made by state CPIM secretary Suryakanta Mishra over alleged mismanagement of facilities for Covid patients in Jalpaiguri sparked controversy today. Mr Mishra uploaded a video showing a Covid patient eating ‘Loochi Tarkari’ in his bed, while others alleged a lack of doctors, medicines and even purified drinking and warm water.

Officer on Special duty for Covid management in north Bengal, Dr Susanta Roy termed it a political controversy. “Dr Suryakanta Mishra, who was former health minister, should come to visit the hospital for the treatment of Covid-19 patients before he comments politically,” he said.

On the other hand, tourism minister Gautam Deb said: “I request Suryakants Mishra not to highlight a stray incident. No one has faced such a situation. There may be complaints, but we address all complaints immediately after the matter comes to our notice.”