Coronavirus COVID-19 West Bengal: Dr Biplab Kanti Dasgupta died of COVID-19 in Kolkata.
A senior government medical officer in West Bengal died in Kolkata this morning after testing positive for coronavirus a week ago.
Dr Biplab Kanti Dasgupta, Assistant Director of the West Bengal Health Services, is the first doctor to die of COVID-19 in the state.
The 60-year-old doctor had tested positive last week and was admitted to a hospital in Kolkata.
The doctor's wife has also tested positive for COVID-19 and is undergoing treatment.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee paid tribute to the medical office and tweeted: "His sacrifice for the cause of ailing humanity will ever be in our hearts and will make our COVID warriors fight the deadly virurs with even greater determination."
The West Bengal Doctors' Forum also condoled the doctor's death and wished his wife a speedy recovery. It also raised concerns over limited resources available to health professionals in the state, posing risk to their lives.
'We need more intensive testing, especially of each and every healthcare provider, even asymptomatic ones, adequate and appropriate PPEs and strict adherence to IICMR guidelines...," the forum said in a letter.
Bengal has over 600 coronavirus cases, including 18 deaths.