RANGPUR, April 01, 2020 (BSS) – A total of 2,105 migrants have been released so far out of total 3,124 kept in home quarantine to prevent community transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Rangpur division.
Talking to BSS, Focal Person of COVID-19 and Assistant Director (Health) for Rangpur division Dr. ZA Siddiqui said the COVID-19 situation continues remaining stable with a constant decreasing trend in the number of quarantined people.
Only 31 migrants were home-quarantined in the last 24 hours in the division against the number of 120 home-quarantined people yesterday.
“A total of 1,028 people are remaining in home quarantine today against the number of 1,160 on Tuesday, 1,192 on Monday, 1,385 on Sunday and 1,531 on Saturday as their number continues reducing everyday in the division,” Dr. Siddiqui said.
“As on today, 1,028 people, including 107 of Rangpur, 74 of Panchagarh, 96 of Nilphamari, 103 of Lalmonirhat, 66 of Kurigram, 96 of Thakurgaon, 280 of Dinajpur and 206 of Gaibandha districts are reaming in home-quarantine,” he added.
Besides, nine migrants have been put in the isolation units in Rangpur division and four COVID-19 patients were sent to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) from Rangpur division.
“The armed forces, Rangpur City Corporation, Rangpur Metropolitan Police, district police, upazila administrations, political parties and voluntary organisations are working extensively to prevent community transmission of COVID-19,” Dr Siddiqui said.
Their activities include distribution of masks, awareness raising leaflets, spraying of disinfectants on the streets and public places, washing hands with shops and cleanliness campaigns to prevent community transmission of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the authority of Rangpur Medical College (RMC) is conducting experimental testing today to detect coronavirus (COVID-19) infection at the institution’s Laboratory of the Department of Microbiology in the city.
Talking to BSS today, RMC Principal and chief of the 10-member Coronavirus Service and Prevention Task Force Professor Dr. AKM Nurunnabi Laizu all preparations have been completed to test COVID-19 infection in Rangpur.
“We have completed installation of a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machine at the laboratory and received kits from the IEDCR and conducted experimental testing of COVID-19 infection on Tuesday,” he said.
“We are ready to collect samples of throat swab, blood, sweat and cough of suspected patients to test at our laboratory using the PCR machine from tomorrow,” Professor Laizu added.
“Samples of 90 suspected patients could be tested at a time using the PCR machine here to get results in a day,” he said, adding that trained doctors, pathologists, technicians and staff are ready to test COVID-19 at the laboratory.
Divisional Director (Health) Dr. Md. Amin Ahmed Khan said members of the armed forces are effectively assisting the local administrations in maintaining social distancing to prevent community transmission of COVID-19 in the division.