BALURGHAT: At least 17 new Coronavirus cases, including five women, were detected in South Dinajpur on Thursday.
This is the highest number of COVID-19 cases identified in a day from South Dinajpur so far, taking the total number of cases in the district to 60, a district health source informed. Earlier, on June 1, 10 positive cases were reported in one day.
Of the 17 patients, six each hail from Kushmandi and Banshihari blocks, three from Kumarganj and two from Balurghat block. They were all migrant workers who recently returned from other states. All of them were admitted to different Covid-designated hospitals for treatment by the Health department officials. Their family members were also quarantined. The panicked residents of the areas think these migrants may have carried the virus and in an attempt to curb the spread they have installed barricades with bamboo sticks on the roads leading to the other areas. Only administrative officials and health workers are allowed into the locality. The locals said there was no trace of Corona in Kushmandi, Banshihari, Kumarganj and Balurghat before the arrival of migrant workers. 42 COVID-19 positive patients have already been cured and discharged. 18 patients are still undergoing treatment in different Covid designated hospitals in the district.
The district Health department has taken the decision to start swab tests of those who have recently returned from other states with Covid symptoms. According to a Health official, the detection of new cases would also lead to raise the number of containment zones. The report of swab testing of about 150 suspected patients is yet to come from Malda and Siliguri. Disinfection activities are being initiated in containment zones in order to avoid community infection.