Eight more persons who had tested positive for Covid-19 died in Siliguri today. Two patients died at the Desun Hospital at Kawakhali, and one died at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH). Three others died in three different private hospitals. A 50-year-old resident of Gurung Busty, and a 77 yearold resident of Islampur in North Dinajpur died in the Desun hospital.

A 70-year-old resident of Sahudangi in Siliguri died at the NBMCH, and a 26-yearold woman of Phansidewa block also died there. A 62-year-old resident of Sevoke Road died in a private nursing home, while another 79 year old died at another nursing home. Sources said another person died at another private health facility at Matigara.

A woman from Champasari was declared brought dead at the Siliguri District Hospital last night, and her swab reports today confirmed she had the virus. Meanwhile, an assistant commissioner of the Siliguri Metropolitan Police has been tested positive for Covid-19. Also, 28 positive cases were reported in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation area. Sources said 76 cases were found in Darjeeling distirct, including 18 in the SMC, 43 at Naxalbari, five at Matigara, four in Darjeeling town, four in Kurseong town, one in Kharibari, and one in Mirik.

“Among the 43 cases in Naxalbari, 42 are from the 158 Army unit,” a source said. Also today, 42 Covid patients were released from hospitals and home home isolation. Rapid antigen tests The health department is set to begin rapid antigen tests in all blocks under Darjeeling district. The test results can be obtained in 30-45 minutes.

“Rapid antigen tests will be carried out in the blocks soon,” Darjeeling district chief medical officer of health Dr Pralay Acharya said today. There are nine blocks in the district. The antigen tests have been started at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, Siliguri District Hospital, Darjeeling District Hospital and Kurseong Sub-divisional Hospital.

“More positive cases will be traced and early detection and treatment will help cure more people. The recovery rate here is around 97-98 percent,” Dr Acharya said. If a nasopharyngeal swab sample tests positive, it will be considered a final report. However, those who test negative but are symptomatic or have mild symptoms will have to undergo the conventional RT-PCR test too.

Dr Acharya said they were expecting the bed capacity in private nursing homes for treatment of Covid-19 patients to be increased soon. 60 cases in S Dinajpur In South Dinajpur district, 60 more Covid-19 cases have been detected, and they include employees of the North Bengal State Transport Corporation, drivers, health workers and people of different professions.

Among the fresh patients, 19 are from Balurghat town- -six from Ekegopalan Colony, Beltala Park, College para, Arun Das Lane, Dhaka Colony, Dakbanglo Para, Khadimpur Rabindranagar, Mangalpur Petrol Pump, Hili More, Rathtala, Shanti Colony, Uttamashapalli and the North Bengal State Transport depot. Five are from the Balurghat block (Patiram BSF camp, Kadamtali-1 in Nazirpur, three in Khaspur), sources said. Five from Kushumandi block have also been tested positive, along with four from Banshihari block and one person from Buniadpur.

Thirteen of the new cases are from Harirampur, two from Singforka Shukdevpur and five from Ramkrishnapur Shukdevpur area of Gangarampur block and one from Mallikpur Shukdevpur area, the sources added. In addition, one person has been infected in Balupara South, and six in Agacha, Safanagar, Azadpur, Balupara and Chakramara areas of Kumarganj block. 53 new cases in Malda In Malda, 53 cases were detected last night, which took the total number of cases in the district to over 2500.

The district has also seen 14 deaths so far, sources said. Fourteen of the fresh cases are from the English Bazaar Municipality and 12 from the Old Malda Municipality. GTA review meeting Chairman of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), Anit Thapa, today said he will hold a meeting in Kurseong tomorrow to review measures taken to contain the spread of the virus.

The GTA Principal Secretary, Surendra Gupta, Darjeeling DM Ponnambalam S, Darjeeling SP Amarnath K, and senior officials from the Health Department and the Chairman, Kurseong Municipality, are scheduled to attend the meeting.

“The meeting is scheduled to be held at 11 am on August 4 in Kurseong Town Hall to discuss matters pertaining to Covid-19 and decisions will be taken accordingly,” Mr Thapa said in a release.