A resident of Dalkhola in North Dinajpur district, who had tested positive for Covid-19, died in the respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) of the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) here.

The 42-year-old person was admitted there yesterday, sources said. “He died today and the report has confirmed he had Covid-19,” NBMCH sources said. Also today, an 81-year-old RSS leader from Mahabirsthan in Siliguri, who had tested positive for the virus, died in a private nursing home at Pradhan Nagar in Siliguri. Another person from Tikia Para in Siliguri also died in the RICU today. His samples, however, tested negative for the virus, sources said.

Meanwhile, around 30 persons under the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) have been found to be infected with the virus in the past 24 hours. Six cases have been found in Ward 46, six more in Ward 5, around five in Ward 10 and two cases have been detected in Ward 3, among others.

Relatives of dead allege harassment

Meanwhile, relatives have alleged harassment during the death of Covid-19 patients in hospitals in Siliguri. The stories may be different, but from Kolkata to Siliguri, the pain of relatives is the same across the state.

An 81-year-old man, Jagdish Prasad Agarwal, a veteran RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha) and Siliguri-based BJP leader, died in a private nursing home around 3.30 am. Agarwal was tested positive for the virus, according to sources.

As he had tested positive, family members here said they failed to manage a vehicle to carry the body from the nursing home to the place of cremation at Sahudangi.

According to the Siliguri organisational district BJP president, Praveen Agarwal, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista had to finally intervene and request the Darjeeling district magistrate to take action for the cremation of the body.

“When relatives finally got a vehicle, they faced another problem. Nursing home authorities agreed to place the body inside the car, but refused to hand over the body to those responsible for cremation at Sahudangi. Finally, an individual agreed to handle the matter after relatives agreed to pay him Rs 10,000,” Mr Agarwal said, adding, “Where is the administration? If we face such problems, what will common people do?”

Panic after Raiganj couple tests positive

Panic spread among residents of Ward-27 in Raiganj Municipality in North Dinajpur after a couple were tested positive for the virus. A total of 11 fresh cases have been found in the district in the past 24 hours, sources said.

The other wards where the cases were found are 2, 7, 23 and 25. The couple did not have any travel history, sources said. “The husband had some symptoms, while the wife is asymptomatic,” the sources said.

On the other hand, concerns are being raised as people are not maintaining physical distance in public places like markets, shopping complex and while travelling in vehicles. “The positive cases in Ward No 27 have been sent to the Covid hospital in Raiganj. Our municipal health staff members are organizing awareness campaigns among the people in the locality,” the Chairman of the Raiganj Municipality, Sandip Biswas, said.

29 new cases in Malda

In Malda, another 29 cases were detected in tests conducted at the VRDL in the Malda Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) last night. Fifteen of the fresh cases are from the English Bazaar Municipality area. The number of Covid cases in the district has now gone up to 670, amid a rise in concerns too.

Unconfirmed sources, meanwhile, claimed that a person from the Mothabari area in the district had tested positive for the virus and that he had died in the MMCH.

Warrior Club in Balurghat

The department of health and family welfare has asked all district health offices to form Covid-19 “Warrior Clubs” at the block and municipality levels. Officials at the South Dinajpur health department today said they will discuss the matter with the district administration tomorrow.

“The club will be formed with Covid patients who have been cured, and the club will help spread awareness among the people and give them proper information about Covid-19 and its impact on society. The club will help people in rural and municipality areas in having proper information,” an official said.

“In spite of the continuous awareness campaigns on the pandemic through different media, people are in panic and there are so many misconceptions among them regarding the disease and its treatment,” the official added. It is learnt that the health department has come up with the idea also to ensure proper communication and counselling of Covid patients.

Eminent persons who are willing to act as volunteers can also be members of the club, sources said, adding that the club will work for awareness and “de-stigmatization” of Covid at the community level and counselling of persons who test positive and guiding them about hospitalization and home isolation.

“We have noticed that family members of the patients go through anxiety and get panicky. Members of the Warrior Club will help such family members and assist patients during home isolation. It is also true that rehabilitation is a problem after one recovers from the virus. It is here that a cured person can be of great help,” said one senior health official of the district.

“We have received the notice from the health department and we will have a meeting with the district administration tomorrow,” said the chief medical officer of health, Dr Sukumar Dey.