The number of coronavirus cases passed 600 in Bangladesh with the detection of 139 new patients on Sunday which is the highest in a single-day as the virus continues to spread newer districts. Four more patients died during the last 24 hours and three more, including a physician, recovered, IEDCR director Prof Meerjady Sabrina Flora said while updating online at 2.30pm briefing.
They have tested 1,340 samples during that period. With that the number of total patients stood 621 with 34 deaths and 39 recoveries. The IEDCR also spotted the presence of COVID-19 patients in four new districts -- Laxmipur, Lalmonirhat, Jhalkathi and Thakurgaon. But they have travel history from Dhaka and Narayanganj, the two hotspots. “It signifies that we must stay at home. We should not travel to other places,” she said.
Half of the total patients were detected from Dhaka. Thirty-five percent of patients are from districts within Dhaka division including Narayanganj. Six percent were from Chattogram. Among the four deceased, two were aged between 30 years to 40 years, one above 60 years and another above 70 years, Prof Flora said.
Three out of the four people who have lost their lives were male and one was female. Among the four deceased, two were aged between 30 years and 40 years, one above 60 years and another above 70 years. Prof Flora mentioned that most of the patients were aged between 31 years and 40 years. Of the new cases, 96 were male and 43 were female.
Besides, 25 percent of them are aged between 31 years and 40 years. All others are of between 21 years and 30 years. Additional Director General for health services Prof Dr Sania Tahmina also addressed the briefing. Prof Sania said the government has intensified its efforts including collection of protective equipment such as PPE, surgical masks alongside increasing medical facilities for coronavirus-infected patients.
She said the government has so far collected nearly 7 lakh PPE, and of them, 4,68,442 PPE were distributed at different hospitals of the country, while the remaining are on the stock. She said the government has taken decision to expand sample tests of suspected COVID-19 cases to determine that how many people are infected by the virus in the country.
“For this, we’re providing training to medical professionals including health workers up to union level to collect samples linked to coronaviris for quick detection of the disease,” she said. Prof Sania said over 70,000 people were kept at both home and institutional quarantine, and at present around 20,000 people have been kept quarantine as rests were released after medical clearance.
The government requested people to contact hotline and mobile numbers -16263; 333; 10655 and 01944333222 – to receive information and treatment facilities on covid-19. Prof Sania, however, urged all not to make unnecessary calls as the doctors who attend those calls are overburdened. “This (unnecessary calls) hampers the treatment of genuine patients,” she said.
