Four new COVID-19 patients identified

Four new persons were diagnosed with coronavirus in the country yesterday, three of them from the same family, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 18. Three of the newly identified patients are male while one is a female. Dr Abul Kalam Azad, Directorate General (DG) of Health Services confirmed about three cases while briefing media at Mohakhali in the capital. The infected woman is aged 22 and the men are aged 65 and 32. The victims have been hospitalized, said the DG.

Meanwhile, another case of coronavirus was detected in Chuadanga, Dr. ASM Maruf Hasan, civil surgeon of the district, confirmed to the independent.

“The 28 years old victim came from Italy on March 12. He had the symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Later, our civil surgeon’s office informed Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR),” said the civil surgeon. He mentioned that on 14 March the victim returned to his village in Chuadanga. On March 16 he was taken to isolation word in Chuadanga Sadar Hospital. On that day IEDCR took a sample from him.

“He will be given treatment at Chuadanga and his families are now in home quarantine,” the civil surgeon added.

However, over the three infected case, the DG said that these are all cases of local transmission and the patients

belong to the same family. They came into contact with an Italy returnee in the family who was already infected. There are 19 people kept in isolation at present, while 43 people in quarantine, he added.

The woman has mild symptoms while the other two patients have fever and receiving treatment in the hospital, Azad said adding the patients have no other ailments.

Virus transmission has not yet reached the level of community-transmission, the DG of DGHS added.

The total number of tests conducted by IEDCR so far is 366 and 25 tests were done in the last 24 hours, he said. Calls to IEDCR hotlines have seen an exponential growth. Dr Azad said 25,916 calls were made in the last 24 hours. The country saw its first death from coronavirus infection on Wednesday.

"So far over 200,000 calls have been made to the IEDCR hotline," he added.

The DG said that according to the Hospital Care and Patient Management, he has already instructed his staff to visit every hospital.  “The hospitals that are being talked about will be prepared and action will be taken as soon as possible. We will be able to control the situation in a short time,” he said. The DG said that a few areas of Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital has been used. If the number of cases increases, another hospital may be required. Replying to a question he said, “Of course I can say there is no need for other hospitals instead of Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital. But whenever the patients need admission, the hospital will be ready.

However, Besides the 01944333222 phone hotline, the IEDCR opened an email address - [email protected]  - and a Facebook group -https://www.facebook.com/IedcrCOVID-19-Control-Room-104339737849330 – for reporting suspected cases.

Meanwhile, a report of National Disaster Response Coordination Centre (NDRCC) release by the information ministry yesterday afternoon said a total of 65 patients were admitted to various hospitals with suspected coronavirus infection and 35 of them were later released.

At present, 26 patients with suspected COVID-19 infection are admitted in Dhaka hospitals while 4 in other districts. Seven of them were admitted in the last 24 hours.

So far a total of 631,538 people have been screened at various sea, land and airport of the country, it said.

Returnees from Saudi Arabia

Some 406 Bangladeshi nationals, who had been stranded in Saudi Arabia, returned home yesterday evening.  Two of them were directly sent to Kuwait-Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital from the airport after health workers found them with high body temperature.

Saudi suspended air communication with some countries, including Bangladesh, to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, forcing Bangladeshi migrants to be stranded there. According to the health desk at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, a flight of Saudi Arabian Airlines carrying them landed at the airport around 6:40pm.

Health workers tested all the passengers and found two of them with high body temperature. Later, they were sent to the hospital.

Returnee with ‘symptoms’ goes missing from hospital

A returnee from Qatar with symptoms matching COVID-19 infection went missing from a hospital in Brahmanbaria on Wednesday, with doctors suspecting that he fled from the facility.

The 30 year old man, who returned from Qatar on 3 March, was admitted to Brahmanbaria General Hospital with fever and breathing problems Wednesday evening, said the hospital authorities.

As the patient was diagnosed with fever, cough and breathing problems, on-duty physician ABM Musa Chowdhury advised him to test for novel coronavirus. But the patient went missing from the hospital and it is suspected that he had fled, said doctors. A team was sent to his home by the district administration to trace the person and bring him back to hospital for treatment.

Restrictions on movement in

Madaripur’s Shibchar

In a bid to prevent possible spread of COVID-19, restrictions were placed on movement of local public transports in Shibchar of Madaripur starting from 7pm yesterday. All non-essential shops excluding those selling medicines, perishable items and groceries were also asked to be kept closed.

Talking to The Independent, Madaripur Deputy Commissioner Md Wahidul Islam yesterday said the number of returnees has significantly increased in Shibchar Upazila in recent days. In order to restrict unnecessary movement and ensure proper home-quarantine, the district administration has suspended all local bus services as well as other local mass transports like nosimon, korimon. There were 246 returnees in home quarantine in Shibchar, which increased to over 1,000 in the last two days, which prompted the administration to take the move, he added.

Home quarantine was being strictly enforced with deployment of more magistrates and law enforcers, the DC said.

Lockdown in areas if necessary

Health Minister Zahid Maleque yesterday said that the government will enforce lockdown in the most vulnerable areas of the country -- such as Madaripur and Faridpur -- if the coronavirus outbreak worsens.

The minister made the remarks while briefing reporters about the current coronavirus situation at IEDCR in Mohakhali of the capital. The minister said Madaripur and Faridpur are vulnerable as more people have come from corona affected countries to these districts and more surveillance is taking place in these areas.

Ask whether, the government has any plan to lockdown those area where the rules of home quarantine is not followed, the minister said that it is right and if the situation worsens, the government will lockdown that area.

“We will move to lockdown wherever needed as the people of our country need to be protected from coronavirus. Lockdown is the only way for the affected area to control the coronavirus,” he added.

"There are two areas where we have news," he said adding that the area is Madaripur, Faridpur. These areas are becoming more vulnerable with an increasing number of returnees. “If there is a downgrade in the situation, we will go for lockdown,” he said.

Earlier, the health minister said that more than 5,000 people have been quarantined to prevent the transmission of coronavirus or COVID- 19, while talking to reporters at the secretariat.

Don’t bring prisoners to courts: SC

The Supreme Court authority yesterday relaxed the condition of bringing the prisoners before the courts during the hearing on their bail petitions in order to prevent the spread of coronavirous outbreak.

A notice, issued by Supreme Court Registrar General Ali Akbor, said amid the ongoing situation of coronavirous the authorities concerned of the lower courts are directed not to produce prisoners before the courts during the hearing on their bail petitions and other activities relating to their case proceedings.

There is a high risk for the prisoners of being affected by the coronavirous and there is no need to produce them before the court during the case proceedings and bail hearing, it said.

The courts proceedings should be conducted after keeping them in prison or jail. If needed, the courts should adjourn the courts proceedings. The order will be valid till further notice in this regard, it said.

Earlier on March 18, the Chief Justice said that he would sit with the all judges of the Supreme Court to take decision on whether the court would be closed on the present context of coronavirous.

Dhaka airport sends 7 returnees

to hospital

The authorities at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka sent seven people to hospital in the last 24 hours after they arrived from different countries, said the airport director.

They were sent to the Kuwait-Bangladesh Maitree Hospital, Group Captain AHM Touhid-ul-Ahsan said at a press briefing held at the airport yesterday morning.

On an average, 7,000 people are arriving a day, he said, citing data recorded in last few days.

Osmani Airport sends 2 Europe returnees to Dhaka

The immigration authorities of Osmani International Airport yesterday sent two expatriates from European countries, to Dhaka to prevent the transmission of coronavirus or COVID-19.

One of them has passport of France and another of Portugal, Airport Manager Hafiz Uddin Ahmed confirmed.

The duo came on a flight of United Kingdom that landed at the Osmani International Airport around 10am, he said.

The immigration authorities of Dhaka airport would take further decision over the returnees, he added.

Meanwhile, three more people were tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19) in the country, the Director General of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Dr Abul Kalam Azad announced yesterday.

Operation of all Dhaka-Rajshahi buses suspended

All bus services on Dhaka-Rajshahi route have been suspended for an indefinite period to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Rajshahi Transport Owners Association took the decision yesterday afternoon. Motiul Haque, general secretary of the association confirmed the matter.

However, buses from Dhaka to other northern districts and northern districts to Dhaka will ply the streets.

Home quarantine

In Rangpur division, so far 254 people have been quarantined at home to stem the spread coronavirous. Of them, twenty-two people are in Rangpur city area, confirmed Divisional Health Department.

Six returnees were fined in nine districts for violating government orders to stay in 'home quarantine' coming from abroad. Of these, 10 were fined yesterday and seven were fined on Wednesday.

The districts are—Manikganj, Jhalokati, Jamalpur, Munshiganj, Chattagram, Cox’s Bazar, Bhola, Satkhira.

 

Four new COVID-19 patients identified

Four new persons were diagnosed with coronavirus in the country yesterday, three of them from the same family, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 18. Three of the newly identified patients are male while one is a female. Dr Abul Kalam Azad, Directorate General (DG) of Health Services confirmed about three cases while briefing media at Mohakhali in the capital. The infected woman is aged 22 and the men are aged 65 and 32. The victims have been hospitalized, said the DG. Meanwhile, another case of coronavirus was detected in Chuadanga, Dr. ASM Maruf Hasan, civil surgeon of the district, confirmed to the independent. The 28 years old victim came from Italy on March 12. He had the symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Later, our civil surgeons office informed Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), said the civil surgeon. He mentioned that on 14 March the victim returned to his village in Chuadanga. On March 16 he was taken to isolation word in Chuadanga Sadar Hospital. On that day IEDCR took a sample from him. He will be given treatment at Chuadanga and his families are now in home quarantine, the civil surgeon added. However, over the three infected case, the DG said that these are all cases of local transmission and the patients belong to the same family. They came into contact with an Italy returnee in the family who was already infected. There are 19 people kept in isolation at present, while 43 people in quarantine, he added. The woman has mild symptoms while the other two patients have fever and receiving treatment in the hospital, Azad said adding the patients have no other ailments. Virus transmission has not yet reached the level of community-transmission, the DG of DGHS added. The total number of tests conducted by IEDCR so far is 366 and 25 tests were done in the last 24 hours, he said. Calls to IEDCR hotlines have seen an exponential growth. Dr Azad said 25,916 calls were made in the last 24 hours. The country saw its first death from coronavirus infection on Wednesday. So far over 200,000 calls have been made to the IEDCR hotline, he added. The DG said that according to the Hospital Care and Patient Management, he has already instructed his staff to visit every hospital. The hospitals that are being talked about will be prepared and action will be taken as soon as possible. We will be able to control the situation in a short time, he said. The DG said that a few areas of Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital has been used. If the number of cases increases, another hospital may be required. Replying to a question he said, Of course I can say there is no need for other hospitals instead of Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital. But whenever the patients need admission, the hospital will be ready. However, Besides the 01944333222 phone hotline, the IEDCR opened an email address - [email protected] - and a Facebook group -https://www.facebook.com/IedcrCOVID-19-Control-Room-104339737849330 for reporting suspected cases. Meanwhile, a report of National Disaster Response Coordination Centre (NDRCC) release by the information ministry yesterday afternoon said a total of 65 patients were admitted to various hospitals with suspected coronavirus infection and 35 of them were later released. At present, 26 patients with suspected COVID-19 infection are admitted in Dhaka hospitals while 4 in other districts. Seven of them were admitted in the last 24 hours. So far a total of 631,538 people have been screened at various sea, land and airport of the country, it said. Returnees from Saudi Arabia Some 406 Bangladeshi nationals, who had been stranded in Saudi Arabia, returned home yesterday evening. Two of them were directly sent to Kuwait-Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital from the airport after health workers found them with high body temperature. Saudi suspended air communication with some countries, including Bangladesh, to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, forcing Bangladeshi migrants to be stranded there. According to the health desk at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, a flight of Saudi Arabian Airlines carrying them landed at the airport around 6:40pm. Health workers tested all the passengers and found two of them with high body temperature. Later, they were sent to the hospital. Returnee with symptoms goes missing from hospital A returnee from Qatar with symptoms matching COVID-19 infection went missing from a hospital in Brahmanbaria on Wednesday, with doctors suspecting that he fled from the facility. The 30 year old man, who returned from Qatar on 3 March, was admitted to Brahmanbaria General Hospital with fever and breathing problems Wednesday evening, said the hospital authorities. As the patient was diagnosed with fever, cough and breathing problems, on-duty physician ABM Musa Chowdhury advised him to test for novel coronavirus. But the patient went missing from the hospital and it is suspected that he had fled, said doctors. A team was sent to his home by the district administration to trace the person and bring him back to hospital for treatment. Restrictions on movement in Madaripurs Shibchar In a bid to prevent possible spread of COVID-19, restrictions were placed on movement of local public transports in Shibchar of Madaripur starting from 7pm yesterday. All non-essential shops excluding those selling medicines, perishable items and groceries were also asked to be kept closed. Talking to The Independent, Madaripur Deputy Commissioner Md Wahidul Islam yesterday said the number of returnees has significantly increased in Shibchar Upazila in recent days. In order to restrict unnecessary movement and ensure proper home-quarantine, the district administration has suspended all local bus services as well as other local mass transports like nosimon, korimon. There were 246 returnees in home quarantine in Shibchar, which increased to over 1,000 in the last two days, which prompted the administration to take the move, he added. Home quarantine was being strictly enforced with deployment of more magistrates and law enforcers, the DC said. Lockdown in areas if necessary Health Minister Zahid Maleque yesterday said that the government will enforce lockdown in the most vulnerable areas of the country -- such as Madaripur and Faridpur -- if the coronavirus outbreak worsens. The minister made the remarks while briefing reporters about the current coronavirus situation at IEDCR in Mohakhali of the capital. The minister said Madaripur and Faridpur are vulnerable as more people have come from corona affected countries to these districts and more surveillance is taking place in these areas. Ask whether, the government has any plan to lockdown those area where the rules of home quarantine is not followed, the minister said that it is right and if the situation worsens, the government will lockdown that area. We will move to lockdown wherever needed as the people of our country need to be protected from coronavirus. Lockdown is the only way for the affected area to control the coronavirus, he added. There are two areas where we have news, he said adding that the area is Madaripur, Faridpur. These areas are becoming more vulnerable with an increasing number of returnees. If there is a downgrade in the situation, we will go for lockdown, he said. Earlier, the health minister said that more than 5,000 people have been quarantined to prevent the transmission of coronavirus or COVID- 19, while talking to reporters at the secretariat. Dont bring prisoners to courts: SC The Supreme Court authority yesterday relaxed the condition of bringing the prisoners before the courts during the hearing on their bail petitions in order to prevent the spread of coronavirous outbreak. A notice, issued by Supreme Court Registrar General Ali Akbor, said amid the ongoing situation of coronavirous the authorities concerned of the lower courts are directed not to produce prisoners before the courts during the hearing on their bail petitions and other activities relating to their case proceedings. There is a high risk for the prisoners of being affected by the coronavirous and there is no need to produce them before the court during the case proceedings and bail hearing, it said. The courts proceedings should be conducted after keeping them in prison or jail. If needed, the courts should adjourn the courts proceedings. The order will be valid till further notice in this regard, it said. Earlier on March 18, the Chief Justice said that he would sit with the all judges of the Supreme Court to take decision on whether the court would be closed on the present context of coronavirous. Dhaka airport sends 7 returnees to hospital The authorities at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka sent seven people to hospital in the last 24 hours after they arrived from different countries, said the airport director. They were sent to the Kuwait-Bangladesh Maitree Hospital, Group Captain AHM Touhid-ul-Ahsan said at a press briefing held at the airport yesterday morning. On an average, 7,000 people are arriving a day, he said, citing data recorded in last few days. Osmani Airport sends 2 Europe returnees to Dhaka The immigration authorities of Osmani International Airport yesterday sent two expatriates from European countries, to Dhaka to prevent the transmission of coronavirus or COVID-19. One of them has passport of France and another of Portugal, Airport Manager Hafiz Uddin Ahmed confirmed. The duo came on a flight of United Kingdom that landed at the Osmani International Airport around 10am, he said. The immigration authorities of Dhaka airport would take further decision over the returnees, he added. Meanwhile, three more people were tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19) in the country, the Director General of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Dr Abul Kalam Azad announced yesterday. Operation of all Dhaka-Rajshahi buses suspended All bus services on Dhaka-Rajshahi route have been suspended for an indefinite period to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Rajshahi Transport Owners Association took the decision yesterday afternoon. Motiul Haque, general secretary of the association confirmed the matter. However, buses from Dhaka to other northern districts and northern districts to Dhaka will ply the streets. Home quarantine In Rangpur division, so far 254 people have been quarantined at home to stem the spread coronavirous. Of them, twenty-two people are in Rangpur city area, confirmed Divisional Health Department. Six returnees were fined in nine districts for violating government orders to stay in home quarantine coming from abroad. Of these, 10 were fined yesterday and seven were fined on Wednesday. The districts areManikganj, Jhalokati, Jamalpur, Munshiganj, Chattagram, Coxs Bazar, Bhola, Satkhira.