Twenty new Covid-19 cases were reported in Siliguri on Monday, spurring the Darjeeling district administration to barricade new containment zones, close and shift markets in high-risk zones and ensure social distancing in public places on Tuesday to prevent the contagion from spreading.

Two suspected Covid-19 patients also died in Siliguri on Tuesday in hospitals. Their swab samples have been sent for confirmatory tests.

District magistrate Ponnambalam S. held a meeting with the district-level task force on new containment zones, closure and shifting of markets and strict implementation of government directives on streets, markets and other public places.

“Some wards like 46, 2, 28 and 18 in Siliguri have reported many cases and we are focussing on markets of such areas to prevent contamination,” the DM said. The Champasari and Nivedita markets would be shut for the next seven days, he said.

Vegetable sellers of Bidhan Market, the largest in Siliguri, have been asked to open their stalls at Kanchanjunga Stadium Mela Ground for social distancing.

Barricades have been erected in Champasari near Sriguru Vidya Mandir and some other areas.

In north Bengal, around 30 cases were reported, including Malda, Cooch Behar, North and South Dinajpurs and Jalpaiguri, on Tuesday.