Infection rate of coronavirus in the port city Chottogram has trebled in just one week proving most health experts wrong about their predictions on the current trend of the crisis.
Till Thursday last the total number of infected people in the city reached around 600, which was only 207 last week. Such unexpected rise in the infection rate has also put immense pressure on the healthcare providers who are now struggling to manage treatment plans for both, those who are infected and those who are not.
The laboratories where covid-19 specimens are tested are also struggling to cope with such sudden rise in the number of samples. “We are finding it very hard to handle such a sudden rush of specimens for testing. It is almost impossible to manage as the number of specimens arriving everyday at our lab has crossed nearly four times against last week’s record,” said a lab technician at the Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases (BITID), Chottogram.
Meanwhile the authorities have taken decisions to test only those who show symptoms of corona infection, like fever, cough, and sore throat. People who claim to have come in contact with corona patients are not given priority to test their body specimens.
Four hospitals in Chattogram had 200 dedicated beds for the treatment of covid-19 patients but only 75 patients were being treated there till Friday.
Dr Sheik Fazle Rabbi, Civil Surgeon and member secretary of Coronavirus Prevention Committee in Chattogram said that the infected are being treated depending on their physical condition.
“It will be possible to treat up to 200 people in the existing allotted beds for coronavirus infected patients. If the number of patients increases then more hospitals would be allotted beds if necessary,” he said.
Claiming the situation is still under control, he said, "We may have to take fresh decisions about treatment of the increasing number of infected people considering the alarming situation of higher rates of infection.”
Meanwhile, it seems many people are ignoring the stringent lockdown and overlooking the risks of community transmission of the virus while shopping for Eid festival to take place next week.
Many of the law enforcing agents unable to control the rushing crowds in the market places and grocery shops said that very few actually comply the enforcement and the instructions to follow personal hygiene.
“We are really helpless in such situation. We can neither baton charge and ask people to return to their homes nor deny people from Eid shopping which would be like hurting people’s emotions,” said a police officer in Dampara intersection.
Dr Hasan Shariar Kabir, Divisional Director of the Directorate of Health Services in Chattogram told Bangladesh Post, “We are very concerned about the rise in infection rates. This is largely due to free and uncontrollable movement of people who are mostly visiting shopping malls and grocery markets, some even with their children completely unaware of the lockdown situation.”
“People are not paying attention to any kind of hygiene and protection. Everything is getting out of control,” he said, adding “Enforcement of the rules is now a very difficult task in such unruly public.”
As most of the victims are being treated at home, so their houses had to be locked down. According to the Police till Friday, over 400 houses in more than 150 places are currently under lockdown.
As the number of victims among the police members also continues to increase, many police are reluctant to be on duty in the lockdown areas of the residents with infected patients. The number of policemen infected in Chattogram is about 50. Of these, 14 policemen from CMP's Sadarghat police station tested positive for coronavirus. Also, hundreds of police members are currently in isolation.
Mehedi Hasan, Deputy Commissioner of CMP said that though a significant number of police members are infected, the members who are not infected are giving extra duties to cover up their shift duties.
“Due to an increase in the number of infected patients, we are inviting volunteers to help us supervise (infected) homes under lockdown,” he added.
