Two members of a family died from sudden fever in a space of 16 hours in a village at Lauhajong Upazila in Munshiganj spreading brief panic through the local people. Sources said, 34-year-old Shamima Begum, wife of Mir Mohammad Jewel of Jasaldia village of the upazila, died about 8:00am on Sunday. Their nephew Mir Abdur Rahman, 3, son of Mir Mohammad Sohel, passed away about 2:00am on Monday. The symptoms of fever before the death have been linked to Coronavirus, said relatives of the deceased. Officials from Lauhajong Upazila administration and a medical team of the Upazila Health Complex visited the house. Acting Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Lauhajong Upazila, Md Rasheduzzaman said that, out of grief, the family is giving misinformation. No symptoms like Coronavirus were yet to be diagnosed. There is no justification for a sudden outbreak of the deadly China virus. Rasheduzzaman also said, “I rushed to the spot immediately after receiving the news. A team of doctors come in and gathered information. Dr Kamrul Hasan Patwari, one of the members of doctors’ team, is talking to the family members and another team of experts on the way to find cause of their deaths.”

Health Officer of Lauhajong Upazila, Dr Shamim Ahmed said, “We have been informed about the matter. We have already sent the blood of the dead for test. After investigation we can say whether it is Coronavirus or not.”

“I think it is unfair to draw the context of the coronavirus with these deaths before the test report comes in. But we are giving importance to the issue. The matter was reported to senior officials, including a civil surgeon,” he said.

Locals, including the family members, urged for a proper medical examination of the incident. Family members said that both the aunt and nephew were suffering from high fever.

After the death of Abdur Rahman, we got panicked and informed Upazila Health Complex doctors. They visited the house and examined the body of the child, said Mir Shiplu, brother of Mir Jewel and Sohel.

Meanwhile, Shamima was buried, he added.

Surveillance Medical Officer of World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr Sabinul Islam and a team were on their way to Lauhajong to assess the situation.

Professor Meerjady Sabrina Flora, Director of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), told the reporters that they are investigating the deaths.

“We cannot comment about the incident before getting the result,” she said.