A 59-year-old doctor died of Covid19 infection in South Dinajpur district on Monday night.

Koushik Ghosh, posted at the district hospital in Balurghat in the medicine department, was sick for the past few days. His wife, sources said, has also been defected Covid positive and is under treat¬ment at the hospital.

Ghosh, a senior doctor, was a resident of Shantinike¬tan in Birbhum. He had been working in Balurghat since 2011 and used to stay in the Raghunathpur area of the town.

“He got infected with the contagion a few days back while being on duty at the hospital. After he was tested positive, he was staying at home but as his conditions deteriorated, he was shifted to the hospital on Monday where he died after some hours. It is a shock for us as he was a reputed doctor of the town. We all have to be more alert in the coming days to avert the infection,” said Parthasarathi Mondal, the hospital superintendent.

The doctors’ fraternity in Balurghat decided not to at¬tend private chambers across the town on Tuesday as a mark of respect for Ghosh.

During the past few days, Covid cases have increased in South Dinajpur district, much to the concern of health officials. In the past 24 hours, 29 persons have been tested Covid positive in the district, said sources.

“Ahead of the festivities, the number of cases had gone down but over the past few days, 20 to 30 fresh cases are being reported every day. As of now, there are around 200 Covid patients in the district,” said a health official.

“The district administra¬tion has identified localities where cases are being reported on a regular basis and marked them as containment zones,” said a source.