Bangladesh confirms 5 new cases of coronavirus
One of the five new patients is a returned expatriate while three others got infection after coming into contact with expatriates. The source of the other person’s infection could not be known as yet
Bangladesh has confirmed five new cases of coronavirus today, pushing the number of infected people to 44 in the country.
Among the five new patients, two are aged between 30 and 40 years, two are between 41 and 50, while the other one is over 60 years of age. One of the patients has comorbidity. All of them are male.
The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Director Professor Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora made the disclosure in a press briefing today.
"One of the five new patients is a returned expatriate while three others got infection after coming into contact with expatriates. We couldn't identify the source of the other person's infection as yet," she said.
"We are expanding our testing mechanism as it was taking too long. Earlier, our team collected samples from the patients. But now, the hospitals (where suspected patients are admitted) will send the samples to us," she added while mentioning that the sample collection and testing will be done in establishments all across the country.
"We have started PCR testing for the coronavirus. Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital is conducting tests using PCR. In Chattogram, Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases (BITID) has already started testing samples after collecting them. We are working on establishing testing centres in all divisional cities," the IEDCR director said.
"If you get a fever or develop a cough at this moment, don't get tensed thinking that you have got infected with Covid-19. Contact Swastho Batayon by dialling 16263 and they will help you," she said.
Mentioning that there are mild possibilities of corona spread by the people who left Dhaka during quarantine, Meerjady Sabrina Flora urged the home goers to stay in home quarantine like the returned expatriates in case they got infected during their journey to home.
IEDCR confirmed the first death from coronavirus infection on March 18, second on March 21, third on March 23, fourth on March 24 and fifth death on March 25.
Globally, 472,790 people have so far got infected with the highly contagious coronavirus and 21,313 have died from it.