Three persons died at the hospital for Covid – 19 patients in Siliguri today. Also, a man from Lodhoma in Darjeeling died in the Tribeni Covid Hospital in Kalimpong in the Hills, sources said.

A 77-year-old resident of Naxalbari in the plains in Darjeeling district was admitted in the Siliguri hospital on 8 August.

A 78-year-old person of Gatebazaar under Ward 33 in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) also died there, while another 81-yearold resident of Jalpaiguri, who was admitted there on 9 August, died today.

“The 70-year-old resident of Lodhama was admitted in the hospital at Tribeni under Kalimpong district a few days ago. He died there last night,” sources said.

It may be noted here that a 73-year-old resident of Sonada in Darjeeling had died while being taken to the Tribeni Hospital on August 1.

Meanwhile, 48 Covid-19 cases have been found in Darjeeling district–eight cases in Naxalbari, five in Matigara, three in Kharibari, one in Phansidewa, one case in Kurseong Municipality, seven cases in Sukna, and one in Pulbazar in the Hills.

SMC registered 35 cases in the past 24 hours– 22 in Darjeeling district, and 13 in Jalpaiguri district in the town.

Meanwhile, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh today criticized the Mamata Banerjee- led state government’s slogan ‘Egiye Bangla’ (Bengal leads). “Corona’y Egiye Bangla,” (Bengal is leading in corona), Mr Ghosh told reporters in Siliguri. “What are they doing to tackle the Covid-19 situation in Bengal? People are not getting proper treatment owing to lack of beds in government hospitals. Though the chief minister claims that her government is providing “totally free” treatment, private nursing homes are refusing treatment to people without them paying a huge amount of money,” he said.

30 new cases in Malda

In Malda, 30 new Covid- 19 cases were detected among the 427 samples tested at the VRDL in the Malda Medical College and Hospital last night, sources said. Ratua-II block and English Bazaar Municipality area heaved a sigh of relief once again with fewer cases reported there.

Similarly, Old Malda Municipality area also witnessed a dip in the cases of the coronavirus with only three detected last night. Chanchal-II, Kaliachak, Ratua- I and Manikchak are other blocks to report some positive cases.