ZCZC
BSS-19
COVID-19-BRIEFING LEAD
Three more die of Covid-19, 54 fresh cases detected: health official
(updates with more information)
DHAKA, April 8, 2020 (BSS) – Healthcare officials today reported three
fresh Covid-19 deaths to increase the pandemic toll to 20 overnight, while 54
people have tested positive during the period, raising their number to 218.
“Three more Covid-19 patients died in the last 24 hours, while the number
of coronavirus cases has stood at 218 as 54 more people have been infected by
the lethal virus during the time,” Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control
and Research (IEDCR) Director Prof Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora told a virtual
media briefing from Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) here.
Additional Director General (ADG) of DGHS Prof Dr Sania Tahmina also joined
the briefing.
Flora added that detection of fresh 54 cases during the period now took
the number of coronavirus cases to 218 in the country while 123 of them were
found in Dhaka.
She said among the new COVID-29 cases, 39 are in Dhaka and others are in
different districts. Of the fresh COVID-19 cases, 33 are male and 21 female,
she added.
The IEDCR director called Dhaka and Narayanganj COVID-19 “hotspots” as
maximum number of cases were detected in the two cities. She said 46 people
have so far tested positive in Narayanganj district.
Flora said the fresh 54 cases were detected as “we have tested 981 samples
through 16 labs across the country in the last 24 hours.”
She also informed that among the 218 coronavirus-infected patients, 33 have
so far recovered and the rests were still being treated under medical
surveillance.
The IEDCR director said among the newly COVID-19 cases, five were
children, while 15 were in their 20s, 10 in their 30s, seven in their 40s, 7
in their 50s and 10 in the 60s. Of the fresh five deaths, two died in Dhaka
and three in other regions of the country, she added.
Sania said 68,324 people were so far kept at both home and institutional
quarantine, and the number of people remain currently in quarantine is 10157
as rests were released after medical clearance.
She said till today 17,18,291 people received healthcare services from
hotline mobile numbers and health web portals as the government formed a
group of medical professionals to provide emergency health services.
The ADG said the government by now prepared 7,693 isolation beds at
different hospitals in the country to be run under a 23-point health
guideline prescribing isolation and quarantine arrangements, PPE usage and
hygienic environment.
Sania said as the number of COVID-19 infected case is on the rise in the
country, the government has intensified its efforts including collection of
protective equipment such PPE, surgical masks alongside increasing medical
facilities for coronavirus infected patients.
The contact hotline and mobile numbers – 16263; 333; 10655 and 01944333222
– to receive information and treatment facilities on Covid-19.
BSS/ASG/MMR/SH/1655hrs