Six more coronavirus positive cases were detected in Malda in the past 24 hours, increasing the number of total Covid-19 patients in the district to 19.

Out of the 19 patients, 16 were detected with the pathogen in the past four days. All of the patients are migrant workers.

Till Monday, Covid cases were reported in only three of 15 blocks in Malda. But with the six new cases, the number of affected blocks is six.

The detection of the new cases would also lead to rise in number of containment zones from three to five, an official said.

Even though the administration is yet to identify the new zones, residents living in areas near the villages from where cases have been reported have started taking initiatives to block the entry and exit of people.

Such initiatives were seen in at least two blocks. In Old Malda, local people dismantled a wood-and-bamboo bridge that connects two villages over the Behula stream.

In Kaliachak 1 block, residents took the task of plastering a “quarantine” poster outside the house of a corona positive patient so that others stayed away from the kin who were into home quarantine.

Nurses at the Covid-19 hospital in Malda alleged that they have to work overtime and there are no proper protective measures in place.