Five more Covid-19 cases were reported in the state today, taking the total number of coronavirus-affected people so far in Bengal to 15. The five, including three children, all belong to the same family. Hailing from Srikrishnapur, Burnia in Nadia, the five are now staying in the quarantine centre in Tehatta hospital.

According to health department sources, another family member who had tested positive for Covid-19 is already admitted in a Delhi hospital. Another family member recently had gone to Delhi to see him and apparently got infected. The district health department subsequently sent 13 members of the family to the quarantine centre.

The infected persons include an 11-year-old, a 6-year-old and a 9-months old baby. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, meanwhile, today directed police to act both strictly and humanely in enforcing the lockdown imposed to check the pandemic.

“Police have to ensure that people do not gather or loiter aimlessly on the streets and have to act strongly. At the same time, police have to see to it that people going to ration shops or for buying essential commodities are not harassed. Police have to be both humane and strict in enforcing the law and simultaneously helping people in trouble,” said Miss Banerjee at a Press conference today.

Miss Banerjee asked Detective Department and Special Task Force to inquire into a fake Facebook post stating that a doctor working in Beliaghata ID Hospital has tested coronavirus positive and take strong action against the people responsible. She once again warned rumour-mongers of strict action against spreading fake news on social media over Coronavirus.

“The post is wrong. But any person can get infected with the virus. Such provocative and insensitive posts that make mockery of other people are completely undesirable and action would be taken against such people,” she said. Twelve complaints were received against police of which seven to eight cases have been closed.

Miss Banerjee has already directed police not to harass people involved in essential services and issue passes to porters and delivery boys so that daily life is not hampered. Miss Banerjee appreciated police for helping a pregnant woman reach the hospital and to arrange blood for an ailing patient. Miss Banerjee further urged dedicated volunteers who are eager to help during this crisis to approach the state government. They would be paid Rs 250 per day for working from morning till 4 pm, she said.

Miss Banerjee announced that COVID-19 laboratory facility has been started in North Bengal Medical College and Hospital. This would save the time taken for samples from northern districts of the state to reach Kolkata for testing, she said. In Kolkata, the Koley and Posta wholesale markets remained operational today and the complaints of dearth of medicines has been addressed, she said.

Free ration for the next six months has already been announced and the food grains can be availed on a monthly basis while the state finance department has released funds for paying two months’ advance social pension, added Miss Banerjee.

“We are continuously monitoring the situation. The Government of India has enforced the lockdown till 14 April. We will review the situation on 31 March and then decide accordingly. State Control Room is operating for 24 hours and in case of any difficulty, people can call the control room by dialing 1070 or 033-22143526,” she said.

Food grains were distributed to people at Alipur under Miss Banerjee’s supervision. She later visited the Kalighat night shelter where too food packets were distributed to vagabonds and beggars. She urged such people to stay in the night shelters instead of the streets. She said that the State Emergency Relief Fund has been linked with Chief Minister’s Relief Fund the and people donating would get Income Tax exemption.