The Northeast Frontier Railway issued an “urgent” notice, claiming a 53-year-old employee had tested positive for Covid-19 and died at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital here on Sunday.

But officials of the NBMCH and the Darjeeling district health department didn’t comment on the cause of the death.

“The state government has formed an expert committee. After going through the case history of the deceased, the committee will confirm whether the death was from the novel coronavirus infection or not,” said a source in the district administration.

The NFR notice said those who had come in contact with the deceased person at the workplace and the railway colony where he stayed with his family should go into quarantine. According to the notice issued by the senior divisional personnel officer, the employee was a senior technician/welder under senior divisional mechanical engineer at the Siliguri Junction. “…was admitted in hospital and expired today, was tested COVID-19 positive (sic),” reads the order.

The deceased person’s four family members have been sent to a quarantine centre in the Naxalbari block. A fire engine sanitised his quarter at the railway colony.

Sources said the technician had respiratory problems and had gone to Bangalore for treatment. He returned in the third week of March. Later, he developed some complications and was admitted to the railway hospital at the New Jalpaiguri Station on March 24.

The following day, the technician was shifted to a private nursing home on the outskirts of Siliguri and on March 26, he was admitted to the NBMCH. Initially, the railway employee was in the respiratory intensive care unit and when his condition deteriorated, he was shifted to the infectious disease ward on March 30. “On Saturday, his swab sample was collected and it was tested positive for Covid-19. He passed away this morning,” said a source.

A senior railway official said: “On Monday, the railway hospital, the diesel loco shed at the Siliguri Junction and the railway colony will be sanitised.”

“So far, at least 12 employees who came in contact with him have been asked to go into home quarantine,” he added.