The administration finally took over the Desun Hospital at Kawakhali in Siliguri on Tuesday for treatment of suspected coronavirus patients and shifted around 40 patients admitted there to other medical facilities in the city.

The development has come after four persons, including two employees of the Desun hospital, were arrested on the complaint of Darjeeling district magistrate Deepap Priya P.

While the employees were accused of not co-operating with the district health department for the hospital’s takeover, the other two were local people who protested against the treatment of suspected Covid-19 patients in their locality.

Local people had protested against the treatment of suspected Covid-19 patients at Desun, saying the infection would spread at the locality. Around 40 patients were under treatment at the Desun hospital. After the administration took over it, the patients were shifted to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital and other private nursing homes in the city.

Two more patients

A nurse posted at the NBMCH and her husband have tested positive for the coronavirus. They have been shifted to Dr Chhang’s Super Specialty Hospital at Himachal Bihar near Siliguri. The facility was earmarked for treatment of confirmed Covid-19 patients.

Pralay Acharya, the chief medical officer of health (CMOH) of Darjeeling, said the couple’s child was put in home quarantine. As of now, seven Covid-19 positive patients are under treatment at the hospital, said sources.

Survey in Jalpaiguri

Health workers have started a door-to-door survey in every block of the Jalpaiguri district to find out whether any resident is suffering from fever and have other symptoms of Covid-19.

“A number of people complained of fever and respiratory problems. The health workers were asked to check out whether they have travel history or have come in contact with suspected or confirmed patients,” said an official.

Additional reporting by our Jalpaiguri correspondent