Five Bangladeshis who have been infected with the new coronavirus in Singapore are recovering from the disease, the government says.
“Two of them already went home, two are recovering at hospital, and the condition of the other person who was critical at the ICU is improving,” Dr ASM Alamgir, Principal Scientific Officer of the IEDCR, told Bangladesh Post, citing Bangladesh mission in Singapore.
Bangladesh, so far remained free from the new virus, took three-level measures to fight off the infection, which is now a global public health emergency.
But five Bangladeshis got the virus in Singapore. Singapore Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan earlier on February 19 phoned his Bangladesh counterpart Dr AK Abdul Momen and updated their conditions. He also assured that Singapore would do whatever necessary for their treatment.
The rapid spread of the coronavirus increased fears of a pandemic on Friday, with six countries reporting their first cases and the World Health Organization (WHO) raising its global spread and impact risk alert to "very high". Wuhan, China was the first place to notify the virus on December 31.
The IEDCR urged all not to be panicked and not to spread rumours. All are requested to call the hotline numbers of the IEDCR – 01937000011, 01937110011, 01927711784 and 01927711785 – for any information. The symptoms of the disease are like the other respiratory problems.
The WHO does not recommend using facemask for healthy individuals. But the UN health body advises people to take precautionary measures.
“Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating, after going to the bathroom and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing; avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth; cover cough or sneeze with a tissue and throw the tissue away; and clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects” – are some of the measures recommended by the experts.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhoea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually.
“Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell. Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment,” WHO said. Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing.
Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. About 2 percent of people with the disease have died. People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention, the WHO recommends.