Three more people have tested positive for coronavirus infection, pushing the total number of confirmed cases to 27 across the country. Among the newly-infected, one is a woman and two are men.
Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora, director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), disclosed the latest figures at a press conference at the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (BCPS) at Mohakhali.
Another died with coronavirus symptom in North Tolarbagh in Mirpur-1 in the capital yesterday.
Additional deputy commissioner of police Mahmuda Afroz said, the deceased was suspected coronavirus patient and his samples have been sent to the IEDCR for examination. Till now we haven't got the result. Locals said the man was living next to the home where a coronavirus-infected patient died on Saturday.
Of the 27 cases that tested positive for the coronavirus, five were released after treatment, two died and the rest 20 were currently undergoing treatment at different hospitals, Dr Meerjady said. The director added, “Two of the infected returned to Bangladesh from abroad, while another came into contact with an infected individual. Forty patients have been taken to isolation wards in different hospitals and the IEDCR collected 65 samples in last 24 hours.” Dr Flora also said, "Sample of a UK-returnee patient, who died in Sylhet today, has been collected."
She also said, "It is too early to say the virus has reached the community transmission level, as we need more information. As I do every day, I'm discouraging all kinds of public gatherings, meetings and rallies. People also should avoid public transport and try to keep a metre’s distance from each other.
Health Secretary Asadul Islam said, "We have made arrangements to quarantine 10 lakh patients and we have 13,000 testing kits and 30,000 more will be brought in. Ventilator service is currently available at the Kuwait-Bangladesh Friendship Hospital. We will add 100 more ventilators very soon."
Entry of foreigners through land ports banned
Bangladesh has banned the arrival of foreigners at all 11 of its land ports, including Benapole, in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus. This move has been effective from March 22, according to a government notice signed by the home ministry's senior assistant secretary Monira Haque. Among the other land ports that have been barred from allowing foreigners' entry are: Bhomra, Banglabandha, Hili, Burimari, Roumari, Darshana, Nakugaon, Tamabil, Shaola and Akhaura.
The instruction follows the government's decision to suspend air connectivity with 10 countries, including India. The restriction will remain until further notice.
London-returnee woman dies in corona isolation in Sylhet
A London-returnee Bangladeshi female expatriate died at the coronavirus isolation ward of the Shahid Shamsuddin Ahmed Medical Hospital in Sylhet yesterday. The woman, aged around 60, returned from England on March 4.
Sylhet civil surgeon Dr Premanondo Mondol said, "The patient was admitted to the hospital with fever, cough and cold-related issues a few days ago. A team of the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research was scheduled to arrive here today (Sunday) to collect her sample for coronavirus test. Still, her sample will be collected for testing in order to confirm whether she died of coronavirus infection," the civil surgeon added.
Dr Sukanto Mohapatro, a physician at the hospital, said, "She came to the hospital with fever, cough and breathing problems on Friday. Doctors kept her in isolation as her situation remained unchanged."
Two deaths in Khulna after fever, cough and breathing problems
A returnee from India and another person have died in the Khulna Medical College Hospital after showing symptoms of coronavirus infection. But doctors could not confirm whether they were infected with the coronavirus, as no tests had been done.
One of them was from Bagerhat's Mongla, said ATM Monjur Morshed, the hospital director. The 43-year-old was admitted to the hospital at 1pm on Thursday with fever, respiratory problems, sore throat and cough. He died around 9:30pm.The other used to live in Narail. He returned from India about a week ago. After he began showing symptoms of the disease, he was initially treated locally. He was taken to the hospital on Thursday night after his condition deteriorated. He died there. Doctors suspect he was also suffering from a heart disease. The members of their families have been advised home quarantine.
Dhaka airport sends 3 returnees with fever to hospital
Three passengers, who returned from different countries, have been taken to the Kuwait-Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital with high fever.
"All of them were found having high body temperature after initial screening at the airport. Later, they were rushed to the hospital," Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport director AHM Touhid-ul Ahsan said in a press briefing. "One passenger returned from Dubai by an Emirates flight around 9:00pm yesterday and two others returned by a Malaysian Airlines flight around 12 midnight," the official said.
"Members of the Armed Forces Division are on standby at the airport to take any passenger to the institutional quarantine, if doctors so advise after the initial screening," he added. "No passenger was sent to the institutional quarantine in the last 24 hours from the airport," he added.
Ctg doctor on remand over COVID-19 rumour
A Chattogram court yesterday placed a physician on a three-day remand after police arrested him from Prabartak area of the city on Saturday on charges of spreading rumours over coronavirus via Facebook messenger.
Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate Abu Salem Mohammad Noman passed the order after police produced Dr Iftekhar Adnan, a physician at a private hospital in the city, before his court seeking a seven-day remand.
The arrestee is the health affairs sectary of Jubo Dal’s Chattogram city unit.
Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) confirmed the arrest at a press conference on Saturday night.
Abul Kashem, officer-in-charge of Panchlaish Police Station, said an audio clip about the coronavirus situation in Chattogram went viral on social media.
Iftekhar has confessed to being the one heard speaking in it, he said.
Mosharraf Hossain Dipti, president of Dubo Dal city unit, said even though Iftekhar was the health affairs sectary, he did not take part in any programme of the party. “I have no idea why he did this,” he said.
In the audio clip, the doctor asked one Rohan to be careful over the coronavirus outbreak and described the fake death number of coronavirus patients at Chittagong Medical College Hospital.
3 held in two dists for spreading rumors over coronavirus
In Pirojpur, detectives arrested two youths from separate areas in the district town yesterday for spreading rumours over coronavirus.
The arrestees are Sohel Sheikh Hridoy, 19, son of Ismail Sheikh of Sheikhpara area and Anam Sheikh, 19, son of Nannu Sheikh Madyarasta area, both are HSC examinees.
All supermarkets, malls shut from
Mar 25 to 31
All the shopping complexes and malls across the country will remain closed from March 25 to 31 as part of an effort to contain the coronavirus outbreak. Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity took the decision yesterday.
In a joint statement, signed by Smaity secretary general M Johirul Haque Bhuiyan said, “All the supermarkets and markets will remain closed from March 25 to March 31.”
He said they took the decision as markets have become empty and also to avoid the coronavirus infection by the shop-owners and their employees.
KMCH interns go on work abstain demanding PPE
Interns at Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) went on a work abstain yesterday afternoon demanding that they be provided with necessary personal protective equipment (PPE).
A total of 175 interns stopped working around 2:30pm, said Dr Hasan Shahriar, general secretary of KMCH Interns Parishad.
He said they went on the strike after two of them showed cold-related symptoms after giving treatment to patients, creating panic among them. Shahriar also said there was no arrangement of PPE for them till Sunday although they sought those to the hospital authorities. Besides, it is not possible to buy the equipment personally due to the crisis in the market, he said.
WHO says it did not suggest lockdown of Bangladesh
The World Health Organization (WHO) has denied suggesting a partial or complete lockdown of Bangladesh to effectively combat the coronavirus. Catalin Bercaru, a communication and media relations officer at the organisation's country office, said WHO did not recommend the lockdown of Dhaka or of Bangladesh during their meeting with Dhaka South City Corporation mayor Sayeed Khokon.
WHO presented several alternatives that could be adopted to maintain social distancing so that people could protect themselves and others, Catalin added.
Coronavirus outbreak could become worse by April: DSCC mayor
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) mayor Sayeed Khokon has said that the coronavirus outbreak may get even worse by the beginning of April. He said this yesterday at an emergency meeting of the newly-formed committee to prevent the coronavirus from spreading in the city corporation area, according to a press release. "Giving the foreign returnees a chance to move about freely was a fatal mistake. Death tolls could massively increase because of this," he said.
UNO seeks lockdown in Sadullapur of Gaibandha
Sadullapur upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) Md Nobinewaz yesterday wrote to the Gaibandha deputy commissioner, seeking a lockdown of the upzaila. According to the UNO, two returnees who were later confirmed to be coronavirus positive, had attended a wedding in the area. Moreover, a large number of guests at the wedding later went to vote in the Gaibandha-3 by-poll held on Saturday, which has created the risk of a massive spread of the virus.
Earlier, on March 19, Shibchar upazila of Madaripur district was put under lockdown in a move to control the spread of the virus.
DSCC ward 57 councillor orders shop, restaurant closure
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Ward 57 councillor Saidul Islam Madbar has issued a public notice to close down all restaurants, tea stalls, bakeries and confectioners in his ward. The food shops will remain closed until further notice in order to stem the spread of Covid-19. He issued the notice on March 21. The notice also said grocery stores, pharmacies, ATM booths, hospitals, vegetable markets, butcher shops and mobile recharging shops would remain open.
Saidul said he took the decision in the interest of the community and the nation. “I took the decision after consulting local police officers and magistrates. They also encouraged me to issue the notice. We do not want anyone to get infected by the coronavirus and have banned all types of social gathering,” he added.
BSMMU stops admitting regular patients
The Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) has decided to stop admitting regular patients in the hospital amidst fears of a coronavirus spread. A notice issued on Thursday said that the decision had been taken for the safety of the hospital staff, teachers and students. "The decision will be effective from March 21," says the notice signed by registrar of the university, Prof. ABM Abdul Hannan. "We will, however, admit emergency patients. We have only stopped the admission of regular patients who can be admitted at a later time," BSMMU vice-chancellor Prof. Kanak Kanti Barua said.
Visitors not allowed in hospitals: DGHS
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) asked all hospitals across the country on Saturday to bar visitors from entering hospital premises because of the fear of a coronavirus spread. "We have instructed all hospitals not to allow visitors until further notice, as the coronavirus can spread through visits," DGHS director (hospital and clinic) Dr Aminul Hasan said.
Govt to start audio-visual classes for schoolchildren
The government has decided to start audio-visual classes from tomorrow (Tuesday) for the students from Class 6 to Class 10 through Sangsad Television. The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) took the decision to keep students in touch with education while they remain at home because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Prof. Md Shahedul Khabir Chowdhury, director (college and administration) of the DSHE, said, "The final consultation has been done with the authorities of Sangsad Television. We are going to telecast from Tuesday on a trial basis. If results are satisfactory after three days of trial, we will continue the programme until the coronavirus situation is under control."
"We will telecast 35 classes every week. We have already begun recording the classes. The best teachers in the country will deliver their class lectures through television. Currently, we are using three studios for recording," he said.
"Educational institutes have been shut down. The students are in a state of uncertainty. So, to keep the students in touch with education, we have decided to take this initiative," he added. "If we telecast classes, student will stay at home, which will help control the spread of coronavirus," he explained.
The government has shut down all educational institutions, including coaching centres, across the country until March 31 due to the pandemic.
Biometric attendance at government hospitals postponed
The health ministry has postponed the biometric attendance of staff and officials at all government healthcare organisations, including hospitals, due to the coronavirus outbreak in Bangladesh.
The decision was taken to protect doctors, officials and employees from the virus, said a circular issued by the Health Service Division of the ministry yesterday. The instruction will be effective until further notice, added the circular.
EC suspends NID services until March 31
The Election Commission will keep the National Identity (NID) services suspended until March 31 as many expatriates, who recently returned home in the wake of global coronavirus outbreak, were gathering to avail of the services.
“We’ve taken the decision to keep the NID services suspended until March 31 considering public safety. The suspension came into effect today (Sunday),” Director General of the National Identity Registration Wing Brig Gen Saidul Islam told UNB.
All sorts of NID services, including fresh registration, correction, recollection and changing (voting) addresses will remain stopped at all the EC offices, including its central and upazila/thana offices across the country, he said.
“Many expatriates who recently returned home are coming to get registered as voters and have NID cards. They need to stand in queues which is endangering the safety of other service-seekers and EC staff. So, we’ve suspended the services receiving complaints from other service-seekers and EC staff,” the NID DG said.
No additional charge for delayed gas bill payment
The household consumers will not be charged extra for delayed payment of gas bills until June this year due to coronavirus outbreak.
An official circular issued by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division said a huge number of household consumers have to be present in the banks to pay gas bills which may increase the risks of coronavirus transmission.
Considering this, the government has decided to relax the household consumers’ bill payment timeframe as defined by Gas Distribution Regulations 2014, it said adding that the consumers can now pay their bills of February-May at any convenient time in June 2020 without any extra charge.
Police searching for 35 expats in Barguna
Barguna police are searching for 35 expatriates, who returned to Bangladesh between March 3 and 21, amidst the fear of coronavirus.
Barguna additional police superintendent Tofayel Ahmed said, "772 Bangladeshi expatriates returned to Barguna from different countries during this time. We identified 737 people among them. But we could not identify the remaining 35. So, several police teams of the district are looking for them."
Among the 737 expatriates, 632 were in home quarantine in Barguna district and 105 were in quarantined outside the district, he added.
According to the Barguna civil surgeon’s office, 232 Bangladeshi expatriates are in home quarantine in the district. One is kept in isolation at Barguna General Hospital.
Barguna civil surgeon Dr Humayun Shahin Khan said, "We collected the information from the health department staff. So, our data shows some inconsistency with the information of police."