A 32-year-old resident of Matigara in Siliguri has tested positive for Covid-19. Sources said that he had gone to Jorhat in Assam on 16 May and returned on 18 May.

The person had undergone tests in Guwahati and the reports on 19 May were positive, sources said.

He was admitted in the Covid-19 hospital at Matigara this evening after officials here got a copy of the test report, sources said.

Meanwhile, a 38-year-old Siliguri resident who was admitted at the Desun hospital yesterday with symptoms of Covid-19 died today.

However, officials said the patient had tested negative for Covid-19. On the other hand, samples of throat swabs of persons, who had come in contact with Covid-19 patients of wards 6 and 7 under the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) have tested negative, sources said today.

At the same time, family members, whose swabs were collected for tests after coming in contact with a 40-year-old woman of Soureni in Mirik who tested positive for Covid-19 in Assam, have also tested negative for Covid-19.

All have, however, been advised to remain in home quarantine.

Siliguri had witnessed three cases when a man and is his son of Ward 6, and another resident of Ward 27 had tested positive recently.

“The tests results those persons have come negative. Swabs of six more persons were collected today from Ward 27,” a health official said.

“A medical team had taken the swab samples of nine family members of the Soureni woman yesterday. The reports have confirmed today that they are all negative for Covid19,” the official added.

Two technicians working at Dr Chhang’s Super Specialty Hospital at Matigara have also tested negative.

The hospital has been taken over by the state government for the treatment of Covid-19 patients.

The technicians are undergoing treatment at Desun Hospital, meant for suspected Covid-19 patients, since 19 May.

Minister Deb concerned about Siliguri

State tourism minister Gautam Deb today expressed concerns over the Covid-19 situation in Siliguri after three positive cases were found recently. “Siliguri is a very important place. It is located close to the borders and has several entry points and floating population. Domestic passenger flights will resume from 25 May and train services are stopped for the time being, but it will also resume, while the Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus is one of the big terminals, and interdistrict bus and truck services have resumed. Under these circumstances, awareness can play a very big role in dealing with Covid-19,” Mr Deb said.

He said he will also undergo Covid-19 test.

Talking about the opening of shops outside containment zones today, he said the guidelines should be followed.

As the CPI-M demanded a unit of the Jalpaiguri district administration at the Dabgram-Fulbari area for ensuring proper administrative services, Mr Deb, who is also the MLA of that Assembly constituency, said the chairman of board of administrators for SMC, Asok Bhattacharya, should act properly to deal with the Covid-19 situation.

Asok writes to Nirmala Sitharaman

As many people in urban areas go jobless in view of the Covid-19 situation, Mr Bhattacharya has requested Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to introduce programmes like the NREGA, particularly for urban slum dwellers of the country.

Swab collection begins

Officials and employees of the SMC have requested Mr Bhattacharya to approach the health department for swab tests of at least eight officers and 500 employees of the civic body. Swab collection kiosks were made operational at the Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) in Wards 4, 44 and 46 today. The kiosks will come up at seven of the 10 UPHC.

IDA distributes ration

The West Bengal state branch of the Indian Dental Association (IDA) distributed food stuff among families at the red light area at Kalighat in Kolkata for 10 days. The association distributed rice, flour, lentils, cooking oil, sugar, salt, puffed rice, milk powder, chilli, potato and onion, along with the Women’s Dental Council and in association with an NGO. The state branch secretary of the IDA, Dr Raju Biswas, said they will continue more such acts for the needy.