The husband of a Covid- 19-positive nurse at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) in Siliguri tested positive for the novel coronavirus today, sources said. Sources added that at least seven persons, including family members and nurses, who had come in contact with the nurse, have been quarantined.

Meanwhile, the health department has started preparations to admit suspected Covid-19 patients in a private health facility following its takeover. The other patents of the nursing home have been shifted elsewhere, it is learnt. The nurse had come in contact with the first Covid-19 patient of Kalimpong during her treatment at the NBMCH.

“She underwent tests on Sunday and was found positive for Covid-19,” a source at the NBMCH said. Health department officials said her family members, including the child of the nurse and some other nurses, had already been quarantined.“

The husband of the nurse has tested positive for Covid-19. At least seven persons have been quarantined so far. We are tracking down some more persons,” said an official. The nurse and her husband have been shifted to Dr Chang’s Hospital at Marigara, which has been taken over as the Covid-19 hospital, from the NBMCH isolation ward.

On the other hand, the 40 other patients undergoing treatment in the Desun Hospital were shifted elsewhere today. The shifting process started yesterday.“We took charge of the nursing home today. The bed strength there is 160, but around 100 beds will be arranged for the treatment of patients of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) and influenza-like-illness (ILI),” said the Darjeeling District chief medical officer of health, Dr Pralay Acharya.

It may be recalled here that the police have arrested four persons, including two officials of Desun Hospital, based on complaints from the Darjeeling district magistrate for their alleged reluctance to shift the patents and hand over the health facility to the state government.

The other two were arrested for leading protests outside the nursing home, opposing the government decision. Health department sources said the state government had planned to take over five private health facilities in Siliguri for the treatment of Covid cases. Nine in Kalimpong test negative:Nine persons, who were in home quarantine and a quarantine centre in Kalimpong, have tested negative for Covid-19.

“This is good news for the people here and I feel we have to lend more moral support to the people here. I would like to appeal to the people here that though taking this as a positive thing, they should not again start coming out of their homes. We should follow the guidelines set by the government,” said Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Chairman Anit Thapa, who personally went to greet those persons released from quarantine.

Among those testing negative included a family member of the Kalimpong woman who died earlier, and the doctor who had first treated the woman. Minister visits safari park: State tourism minister Gautam Deb today visited Bengal Safari: North Bengal Wild Animal Park to take stock of the situation there. Mr Deb said the park authorities were taking necessary steps to keep animals there safe.