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Virus changing strains gradually


Bangladeshpost
Published : 04 May 2020 09:00 PM | Updated : 01 Sep 2020 10:08 PM

The novel coronavirus is turning more complicated gradually due to its repeated biological changes.
As a result, new symptoms are being added to those infected while the number of asymptomatic patients is also increasing. Many are infected with the virus even twice. There are also patients who have all the symptoms of the virus, but are not infected. People are getting pneumonia from corona.

Due to such changes, doctors are facing a lot of hassles in diagnosing and treating the disease. As a result, on the one hand, as the disease is spreading at a massive rate in the community, the suffering of the victims is also increasing.

Public health experts said this critical situation will continue until a new drug or vaccine is introduced. Until now, everyone is giving importance to maintaining social distancing.

Public health experts and researchers have divided the infected people into four groups based on the symptoms. The first is asymptomatic. The second stage is called ‘pre-symptoms, ’ the stage that is the most deadly. The infected person may spread the virus to more people for 48 hours before symptoms appear. The infected person is affected by fever, cough, frequent shortness of breath and shortness of breath during this time. The next stage is pneumonia. As well as creating acute respiratory problems, some other organs, including the kidneys, lose their function. This is the most deadly. Such patients need oxygen.

Former Vice Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Virologist Prof. Nazrul Islam told Bangladesh Post “It is guessed that the virus has changed its character through mutations. However, the exact number of such changes is not yet known. But it can be said that the virus has changed its form at least a few hundred times. There are basically two problems with changing virus strains. First, the vaccine to prevent the virus is made according to the strain. So if the virus changes the strain, the effectiveness of the vaccine is lost. Secondly, when a person is infected with a virus strain and recovers, his body produces antibodies against that strain. He is not infected with the virus for the second time. But changing of the strain puts the infected person at risk of re-infection.

“So the disease is becoming critical. Mutations in Bangladesh have taken such a form that it is seen young people in the age group of 30-40 years are being attacked more. In other countries, older people are more affected. Due to this mutation, two things can happen. One is that the disease can become mild or strong. Due to this change, the symptoms of the disease may change,” he continued.

In such a situation, the sample test must have to be increased to control coronavirus, the expert said; “We must have to do many sample tests. What we are doing now is not much. At least 10 thousand tests need to be done every day. The country also has such capacity. Besides, those who are working in the lab need more training. The security of the lab needs to be enhanced.”

Asymptomatic patients are increasing: Recently, eight IEDCR staff have been confirmed with Covid-19 positive. However, none of them had symptoms.

A trainee doctor at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital and a storekeeper of Sylhet Shaheed Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital have also been infected with coronavirus recently. They also had no symptoms. A man from Chuadanga was admitted to a hospital in Dhaka for kidney problems. Although he did not have any symptoms, the doctors suspected, and later tests showed the presence of coronavirus in his body.

On the other hand, 25 employees of a private hospital in the capital's Panthapath have been infected with the virus without any symptoms. Besides, no symptoms were seen in the 28 devotees of the ISKCON temple in Swamibagh who were infected with the virus.

A patient was admitted to a hospital in the Shyamoli area of the capital on April 14 for colorectal surgery. The next morning, the hospital authorities requested IEDCR to test the patient's corona. IEDCR collected samples and he was identified as corona positive.

A family returned from Narayanganj on April 8 to a village in Jhalokati Sadar Upazila. They also did not have corona symptoms. Samples of three people, including their six-month-old baby, were tested. All three were reported corona positive. Similarly, four members of a family in Tangail, at least six people in Pirojpur, and two relatives of a doctor infected with the virus in Brahmanbaria were infected with corona, but showed no symptoms. Besides, asymptomatic patients have been found in the capital Dhaka, Bogra, Jhalokati and other districts.

According to experts, this number indicates that a large number of people across the country are infected with the virus, who have no symptoms. The number of asymptomatic corona patients is increasing in the country.

A doctor at the Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital said statistics from several government hospitals in the capital showed that at least 30-35 per cent asymptomatic corona patients were found in the country. This number is increasing day by day. People without symptoms are at greater risk of infection. The virus is also spreading from their sneezing and coughing.

Not only in Bangladesh, but also in India, 80 percent of those infected with coronavirus are asymptomatic. Raman R. Gangakherkar, a scientist at the Indian Council of Medical Research, India's top research organization, told the media that it is a big challenge to find out these types of patients.

According to the World Health Organization's April 14 update on Covid-19, 40 percent of patients have mild symptoms, and 40 percent have medium symptoms of pneumonia. Fifteen percent of the diseases are severe. The remaining 5 percent fall into critical situations.

An official of IEDCR said on condition of anonymity, IEDCR is testing samples on selection basis. In most cases those who have symptoms are being tested. The real picture is not being reflected because there are not enough tests.

A public health expert said it was the government's responsibility to conduct a pathological survey. It is necessary to know the situation and control the disease. He said that in some countries, 64 per cent, and in some countries, 30 per cent have been found asymptomatic. Those statistics have contributed to the development of disease control programmes in the countries concerned.

A young man has been infected with coronavirus for the second time in Gaibandha. Returning from the United States, the young man and his mother were identified on March 22 and were undergoing treatment in Gaibandha. After being treated at the isolation center of Gaibandha Sadar Hospital, the boy (22) recovered and returned home on April 10. But within 12 days of his recovery, he contracted corona again.

Prof. Nasima Sultana, Additional Director General of the Department of Health, said, "We are telling people to stay at home, to keep a certain distance, to reduce the risk of infection. But sadly, despite repeated appeals to the public, they are not staying at home. Despite various disciplinary measures including fines, people are not being kept at home. This is creating risk; which is the biggest barrier to disease prevention.”