Two persons died at the Desun (Covid) Hospital at Kawakhali in Siliguri today. A 40-year-old resident of Salugara was admitted in the hospital after being referred by the Siliguri District Hospital. Another 60-year-old resident of Pradhannagar area, who was admitted in the hospital on 7 July, died today.

Meanwhile, Ward 35 under the Siliguri Municipal Corporation recorded the highest single-day number of cases (14), while a total of 39 cases have been found in the civic body area in the past 24 hours, including in Wards 4, 8, 14 and 35. Former Deputy Mayor tests positive:RSP leader and former Deputy Mayor of Siliguri, Ram Bhajan Mahato, has, meanwhile, tested positive for the virus.

He is undergoing treatment in a private nursing home in Siliguri, sources said. Doctors team formed: On the other hand, the administration has prepared a list of doctors who are treating Covid-19 patients and suspected Covid-19 patients at government-run facilities. The health department had earlier announced the formation of an-eight member team of experts of eight different disciplines to check deaths of Covid-19 patients in Siliguri on 26 June.

However, the deaths continue unabated. An order issued by the Darjeeling district magistrate on 8 July stated that a team of specialists/super-specialist doctors had been formed to assist two dedicated hospitals or Covid-19 patients and the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) in treating Covid-19/suspected patients.

Health department officials have attributed the death of most of the Covid-19 patients to their co-morbidity like neurological and nephrological problems, while they have also said delayed admission of the patients were also to blame.

According to the list issued today, the team of doctors are endocrinologist Dr Subhodip Pramanik, neuro-surgeon Dr Malay Chakrabarty, critical care specialist Dr Ayan Banerjee, physician Dr Sekhar Chakrabarty, psychiatrist Dr Avik Layek, cardiologist Dr Indrajit Mondal, neuro-physician Dr Durga Prasad Chakrabarty, and orthopedic surgeon Dr TK Ghosh.

Health department sources said the doctors have already started treating patients. A total of 35 persons, who had tested positive for Covid-19 in Siliguri, including the SMC area, and four blocks under the sub-division, have died since 5 April so far. No death had taken place in May. Most of the deaths occurred in June and July.M ore containment zones: The Darjeeling district administration has notified that the Siliguri Town Market area covering the local bus stand and railway crossing at Bagrakot, which partly falls under Wards 18 and 20, and Nivedita Road (from Champasari Road to Gurung Busty market, then upto the road near Siliguri Model High School), have now been marked as containment zones.

Darjeeling DM S Ponnambalam said the containment areas had been set up in addition to the zones previously announced. 43 more cases in Malda: Meanwhile, 43 more persons, including a four-year-old boy from English Bazaar Municipality (EBM) were tested positive for the virus in Malda last night. Most of the new cases are from the EBM area (16), and Kaliachak I and II, both nine each.

On the other hand, three cases are from Kaliachak III, and two from Old Malda Municipality. The total number of affected persons in the district has crossed the 1000 mark, with a total of 1031 cases now, and seven deaths. However, officials said more than 600 of the patients have been cured of the virus.

26 more in North Dinajpur: In North Dinajpur, more than 26 fresh cases have been detected in the past two days. Nine of the cases have been found in the Raiganj municipality and they are residents of Ward 4, 7, 16, 20 and 22, sources said. Six are from Chopra block, seven, including six health care workers, are from Islampur, one from Dalkhola municipality, one in Goalpokhar and another one from Chakulia. Officials have marked 31 containment zones in the district.

“Nine residents of our municipality have been found positive. They have been taken in the Covid hospital. We have started intensive awareness among the people to fight the virus,” the Chairman of the Raiganj Municipality, Sandip Biswas, said.