The administrations of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Malda districts have decided to draw up new regulations to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

In and around Siliguri, where over 250 Covid-19 cases and 14 deaths have been reported so far, the administration has decided to enforce complete lockdown in three wards — 18, 28 and 46.

“The administration has been asked to ensure that nothing other than medicine shops remain open in these markets,” said state tourism minister Gautam Deb.

Added to this, the Darjeeling district administration has identified 16 nursing homes and instructed the authorities to reserve 10 per cent of their beds for Covid-19 patients.

Two existing Covid hospitals of the city have 145 beds and those associated with healthcare fear that the beds would be full soon, if the current trend of the pandemic persists in the city. For asymptomatic patients, two centres have been opened in Batasi and Hatighisa.

In Malda, 47 persons have tested positive for Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, taking the number to 543. Hence, market timings will be planned afresh.