Worry and anxiety over the Coronavirus situation is increasing in Rajshahi with the onset of the Winter season.
People of Rajshahi are more susceptible to winter or cold-related diseases like Cold, Fever, Asthma, Cough, Pneumonia and Typhoid. These diseases are already in the increase in the district. Inspite of repeated government warnings and measures by the law enforcement agency to wear masks and maintain hygiene, only a few people are observing those.
No health rule is being observed in the public transports like train, buses, minibuses and auto rickshaws. Due to keeping the doors and windows of the interdistrict buses and trains closed, due to the increase of various social functions like seminars, public meetings, marriage ceremonies, picnic and the birthday parties, the Covid infection is also increasing in the district.
In the latest Corona statistics, 54 Corona patients have been identified in Rajshahi division on November-18 whereas on last October-18, the number of identified Corona patient in the division was only 16. That is, within the span of one month of time, the number of Corona patients has been increased three-fold. With the number of patients on Wednesday, the total number of 21,850 Corona patients have been identified in Rajshahi division so far.
Director of Health, Rajshahi division, Dr. Gopendranath Acharya informed, out of the total Corona infected patients so far 20,267 have been recovered and 2,562 patients were now under treatment at various hospitals of the division.
Health Department Officials in Rajshahi opined, it was extremely hard and risky to deal with the Coronavirus and to treat Coronavirus patients until no effective vaccine to check the virus is available in the country that is why they emphasised specially on wearing masks and maintaining social and personal health rules.
Resident Surgeon of the department of Medicine of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital Dr. Partho Moni Bhattachary informed, ' the low temperature and less humidity during the winter help the Coronavirus survive more time and to spread rapidly. Moreover, due to the lack of vitamin D, the disease resistance power in human bodies decreases resulting in a more infection by the virus. Even, due to increase of Pneumonia, Asthma and other cold-related diseases, the death rate due to Corona may also be increased. That is why there was no alternative to maintain health rules.
Professor Mahbubur Rahman Badsha of the department of Medicine of RMCH informed, some several reasons the Corona infection might be increased during the winter. Due to decrease of humidity, the droplet count will also be decreased, the germs spread through cough and cold would remain floating in the air for a long time and a person wearing no mask will easily be infected with the virus. Moreover, dusk particles also increase during the winter and those dust particles act as the carrier of the germs. That is why maintaining a social distance and wearing masks are essential.
Director of Health of Rajshahi Division Dr. Gopendranath Acharya informed, department of Health is well prepared to face the second wave of the spread of Coronavirus. More doctors and Nurses have been trained and so far 1,287 beds in the hospitals of eight districts of the division have been kept ready to treat the Corona patients and the number of beds may be increased, if necessary.
He further informed, there are five laboratories in Rajshahi division to test the Coronavirus. It will be possible to test samples of 940 patients daily in the division.