Doctor dies of COVID-19 in West Bengal; CM Mamata condoles

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 26 (ANI): West Bengal Medical officer Doctor Biplab Kanti Dasgupta who was diagnosed with COVID-19 passed away at a hospital here on Sunday.
Dasgupta has becomes the first case of a doctor succumbing to the deadly infection in the state.
The doctor (60) along with another man (34), both diagnosed with the disease and on ventilators died at a hospital here.
Dasgupta was in charge of the central medical store wing of West Bengal government's health and family welfare department.
The resident of Haridevpur who was admitted to hospital on April 18 with respiratory distress and other co-morbidities. passed away at around 1:20 am on Sunday.
The other 34-year-old patient from the city's Garden Reach area who had tested positive for the disease and admitted on April 23 to the hospital also succumbed around 7 am at the same facility.
"We are deeply saddened by the news of Dr. Biplab Kanti Dasgupta, ADHS, Central Medical Store, WBHS passing away in the early hours of April 26," read a message from West Bengal Doctors Forum (WBDF).
The WBDF said: "This is the first reported death of a member of our medical fraternity, in the state, who was tested positive for COVID-19. Unfortunately, his spouse has also tested positive for Corona. Our prayers are with her and we wish her a speedy recovery."
Pointing out that over the last few weeks more and more healthcare workers are diagnosed with COVID-19, the WBDF urged health and administrative authorities to "proactively look into the matter as it is a matter of grave concern". "With limited resources at disposal, we cannot afford to have a situation where the shortage of healthcare providers pose a threat to the delivery of care."
The Forum also requested the State administration to issue a separate medical bulletin daily to appraise about the condition of the healthcare workers under treatment and quarantine.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee too condoled the demise of Dr Biplab Kanti Dasgupta saying his sacrifice for the cause of ailing humanity will "ever be in our hearts."
"We have lost Dr Biplab Kanti Dasgupta Assistant Director, Health Services, West Bengal in the early hours of today. He was Assistant Director of Health Services, Central Medical Stores. We are deeply pained with his untimely demise," the Chief Minister said in a tweet.
"His sacrifice for the cause of ailing humanity will ever be in our hearts and will make our COVID warriors fight the deadly virus with even greater determination. My heartfelt condolence to Dr Dasgupta's bereaved family members and colleagues," she added. (ANI)