ZCZC
BSS-09
BRIEFING-IEDCR-CORONA (with picture)
No COVID-19 patient in country now:IEDCR
DHAKA, Mar 14, 2020 (BSS) – None in Bangladesh is currently infected with coronavirus as the latest diagnosis result of the third person, who was infected with the virus, came negative, said the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).
“Two out of three coronavirus patients have already recovered. The third one underwent a test within the last 24 hours and the result was negative,” IEDCR Director Prof Meerjady Sabrina Flora made the announcement at a media briefing at Mohakhali, Dhaka.
“We will conduct another test in the next 24 hours and if that also comes out negative, we will release the third patient,” she added.
“Now there’s none in Bangladesh who is affected with COVID-19,” said Dr Flora.
She was speaking at a press briefing at IEDCR headquarters at Mahakhali in the city. Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Additional Director Dr Sania Tahmina and Principal Scientific Officer ASM Alamgir were also present at the briefing.
About the returnees from Italy, she said primarily no symptom of coronavirus was found in any of the 126 fresh Italy returnees and they have been kept in separation at Ashkona Hajj camp in the city.
“Primarily, we have checked body temperature of all the 126 Italy returnees and found no corona symptom. The detailed screening is underway. We will take a decision regarding their self or institutional quarantine after the detailed screening,” said IEDC Director.
In Italy, millions have been locked down and more than 1,000 people have died so far from coronavirus (COVID-19).
The Bangladeshis arrived here around 8am today by Emirates Airlines flight EK-582 and were sent to the hajj camp for screening.
The IEDCR chief also requested all to follow proper hand washing technique at every educational institution and said, “There is no situation of closing down the schools yet.”
She also urged the people to offer their prayers at home instead of mosques if they suffer from fever, cough, running nose or any other cold or respiratory related problems.
IEDCR tested a total of 24 new samples in last 24 hours and all of them were negative. A total of 211 samples have been tested till yesterday and 31 persons visited the disease monitoring wing of the country, Dr Flora said.
At this moment, a total of nine people are in isolation and four persons, relatives of three corona infected persons, are in institutional quarantine, she further said.
Flora requested not to pay heed to any rumour on social media or any other unauthorised person or institution and to visit the website of WHO or IEDCR for proper information.
Later, at a press briefing at Directorate General of Health Services office at Mohakhali, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque suggested to keep the fresh Italy returnees in quarantine as a safety measure.
The health minister gave the directive to the authorities concerned, including Director General of the DGHS Professor Abul Kalam Azad over the telephone today.
Zahid Maleque also said, “Other travelers coming from any coronavirus affected countries will also be kept in mandatory quarantine. Anyone not following the directives may face fine and even jail.”
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