RANGPUR, March 23, 2020 (BSS) – High officials and experts at a meeting
today put maximum importance on engaging comprehensive efforts to ensure
quarantine of all returnees for preventing spread of coronavirus to community
level in Rangpur division.
The divisional administration organised the meeting on preventing
coronavirus spread at conference room of the Divisional Commissioner in the
city with Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md. Zakir Hossain in
the chair.
The divisional level government officials and health experts attended the
meeting, discussed the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in Rangpur division
and took a set of decisions to prevent community spread of the virus and
effectively face the situation.
Rangpur Divisional Director (Health) Dr. Md. Amin Ahmed Khan, Deputy
Inspector General of police , Rangpur Range Devdas Bhattacharya, Rangpur
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Abdul Alim Mahmud, Rangpur Deputy
Commissioner Md. Asib Ahsan, among others, addressed.
Dr. Amin Ahmed informed the meeting that 627 persons who have returned from
abroad have been placed into home quarantined during last 24 hours in all
eight districts of the division.
“A total of 1,880 migrants were quarantined at homes during the last ten
days in Rangpur division, of them, 272 were so far given clearance after
their stay in quarantine for 14 days without symptoms of coronavirus,” he
said.
Presently, 1,608 migrants are remaining in home quarantines, including 200
in Rangpur, 551 in Panchagarh, 151 in Nilphamari, 104 in Lalmonirhat, 168 in
Kurigram, 128 in Thakurgaon, 167 in Dinajpur and 139 in Gaibandha districts
of the division.
“We have already kept 10 beds ready in the Isolation Unit of Rangpur
Medical College Hospital (RMCH) and three to four beds are kept ready for
isolation in every upazila headquarters across Rangpur division emergency use
,” he said.
Besides, 200 beds have been kept ready to keep migrants or suspected
coronavirus infected patients in quarantine at the newly built 100-bed
Rangpur Shishu Hospital in the city.
“We can also use the 31-bed Haragachh Hospital and Tazhat Chest Disease
Hospital in Rangpur metropolis as Corona Units if the number of suspected
coronavirus infected people increases,” Dr. Ahmed added.
In addition, he said the 80-seat Rangpur Primary Teachers’ Training
Institute (PTI) and Training Centre of the Department of Youth Development in
Rangpur city will be kept ready for use as Corona Units, if needed.
Dr. Ahmed categorically suggested for creating awareness at the community
levels to ensure cent percent home or institutional quarantines of migrants
for 14 days to prevent community spread of COVID-19 for avoiding a disastrous
situation.
Putting stress on creating community awareness about the severity of COVID-
19, Additional Divisional Commissioner Zakir Hossain suggested everyone not
to become panicked and comply with health directives of the government to
prevent coronavirus spread.
“The Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) and other necessary inputs will
be available very soon for doctors, nurses and other health service providers
for their complete safety while treating coronavirus infected patients at the
isolation units,” he added.