The Darjeeling district administration has marked 20 new containment zones in order to further curb the spread of Covid-19. The zones are spread across the Hills, Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) area, and rural areas in the Plains.

The zones have been set up in the Pulbazaar development block and Bijanbari in Darjeeling and Kurseong. Under the SMC, areas under wards 1, 2, 3, 21,  22, 23 and 24 have come under the zone, along with Upper Bagdogra and Lower Bagdogra in Naxalbari block, Atharakhai in Matigara block, Ghoshpukur, Bidhannagar, Phansidewa, Bansgaon, and Kismat in Phansidewa  block.

“The state government has focused on reintroducing containment zones in areas where the infection rate is still high,” said an official.

Two mucormycosis patients die in NBMCH

Two patients, who had tested positive for mucormycosis, died in the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) today, sources said. One person, around 48 years of age, of Champasari in Siliguri had recently recovered from Covid-19, sources said. Another man, 77, from Banarhat in Jalpaiguri, died in the Covid block of the NBMCH, it is learnt.

130 new Covid cases in Darjeeling district

The Siliguri Municipal Corporation, including areas that fall in Jalpaiguri district, recorded 56 new Covid-19 cases today, while Darjeeling district registered 130 cases, sources said. Seventeen cases were detected in Takdah, 15 in Sukna, 14 each in Matigara and Naxalbari, eight cases each in Bijanbari and Phansidewa, seven cases in Kharibari, four cases in Darjeeling Municipality, three cases in Kurseong Municipality, two cases in Mirik and one case in Sukhia Pokhari.

Four Covid patients die

Around four persons who had tested positive for Covid19 died in the NBMCH today, sources said.

4,95,181 vaccinated

Meanwhile, as of 23 June, 4,95,181 people had been given the Covid-19 vaccines in Darjeeling district, since the nationwide vaccination campaign started on 16 January, district officials said. “According to the cumulative vaccination coverage, as on 23 June 4,95,181 people have been inoculated, 3,66,119 received their first doses, while 1, 29,062 received the second doses,” an official said.

Vaccine protest

Senior citizens, including women, who had queued up since Thursday midnight for the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine at a primary health centre in Bagdogra near Siliguri, blocked the Asian Highway-II, after they failed to get the shots today.

Elderly persons alleged that after waiting for several hours, they came to know that they would not be given the vaccine today. Naxalbari block medical officer of health Dr Kuntal Ghosh, however,  said there was no schedule for vaccination there today.

“I came here at 4 am and got in the queue. However, after waiting for several hours, we were told that there would be no vaccination today. I wonder if I will be able to get the second shot within the specified gap between the two doses,” said a person.