The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has expanded the facility to test for coronavirus in Bangladesh. IEDCR Director Professor Meerjady Sabrina Flora said on Thursday briefing that testing procedure to diagnose the disease has started in a few other hospitals across the country.
“Apart from the IEDCR, we've extended the PCR testing method to Dhaka Shishu Hospital, Public Health Institution and BITIT in Chattogram. Gradually, this facility will be extended to divisional level,” she said. She said the IEDCR will soon launch district-level hotline numbers to help people contact it easily. Samples will be collected from wider range of citizens from now on, she said.
“So far, we've been testing people returning from abroad and their relatives who are showing symptoms. However, we'll be expanding our sample collection and testing areas,” she said. Within two to one days, local hospitals will start collecting samples and send those to the IEDCR and other local institutions for testing, she said.
She urged all who left Dhaka within the past few days to be aware and not to spread the disease. “Those who've left Dhaka must act like those who've come from abroad and stay indoors to ensure that the virus doesn't spread even if you get infected during the journey,” she said. Bangladesh confirmed the virus in 44 persons. Of them, five died.
