IEDCR blasts customs official for disclosing identity of a coronavirus suspect

The Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has criticized an official of Benapole Customs as he disclosed identity of a person with suspected coronavirus "Covid 19" infection.

Earlier in the morning today, the customs official, who is not from the health department, posted a status on his Facebook page saying the China returnee Bangladeshi, who entered into the country via India, was coronavirus positive. The official also added person's name, photo and his passport's information page with that post.

Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora, director of the institute, said, "The move of the customs official was completely unethical, unprofessional and against the norms of the government jobs."

"IEDCR is the only authorised institute to confirm whether any person is coronavirus infected or not. Besides, we have informed all port authorities and media about not to disclose the identity of the coronavirus suspects," she added.

She also said such callous and unprofessional move like the customs official can harm an individual personally and socially.

Earlier on February 19, Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora said people should not panic over rumors circulating on social media about coronavirus. Instead, they should contact the authorities for information on the disease.

Mainland China had 394 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections on Wednesday, the National Health Commission said on Thursday, down from 1,749 cases a day earlier and the lowest since January 23.

That brings the total accumulated number of confirmed cases in mainland China so far to 74,576.

The death toll from the outbreak in mainland China had reached 2,118 as of the end of Wednesday, up by 114 from the previous day.

The central province of Hubei, the epicenter of the outbreak, reported 108 new deaths, while in the provincial capital of Wuhan, 88 people died.