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BSS-15
COVID-19-DEATH LEAD
Six more die of Covid-19, 94 fresh cases detected: health official
(updates with more information)
DHAKA, April 10, 2020 (BSS) – Healthcare officials today reported six more deaths from the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) overnight, raising the death toll to 27 and confirmed 94 fresh positive cases.
“Six more Covid-19 patients died in the last 24 hours, while the number of coronavirus cases has stood at 424 as 94 more people have been infected by the lethal virus,” Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Director Prof Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora told a virtual media briefing at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in the city.
Additional Director General (ADG) of DGHS Prof Dr Sania Tahmina also addressed the briefing.
Flora said with the detection of fresh 94 cases in the last 24 hours, the number of coronavirus cases has spiked to 424 in the country, adding, that Dhaka remains topped the Covid-19 patients’ list with 222 positive cases.
She said among the new Covid-19 cases, 37 are in Dhaka, 16 in Narayanganj and others are in different districts. Of the fresh Covid-19 cases, 69 are male and 25 female, she added.
Among the six deaths, five are male and one female, Flora said adding, three deaths took place in Dhaka, two in Narayanganj and one in Patuakhali district.
The IEDCR director called Dhaka and Narayanganj Covid-19 “hotspots” as maximum number of cases were detected in the two cities. She said 75 people have so far tested positive in Narayanganj district.
Flora said the fresh 94 cases were detected as “we have tested 1200 samples through 16 labs across the country in the last 24 hours.”
The IEDCR director said among the newly Covid-19 cases, four were children, six between 10 to 20 while 2 were in their 20s, 29 in their 30s, 16 in their 40s, 14 in their 50s and 13 in the 60s.
Analyzing the infected history of the patients, Flora said rampant movement of the coronavirus patients is mainly responsible for increasing Covid-19 positive cases.
She put emphasis on staying at home alongside following hygienic practices including washing hands with soap and wearing masks to contain Covid-19.
Pointing out that the government had taken necessary preparations to contain the disease in the country after its detection in China, Sania said at present there is a total of 550 ventilators at the government hospitals, while a process is underway to buy 380 more ventilators.
As part of increasing medical facilities for containing COVID-19, she the government is working to set up a hospital with 2000 beds in Dhaka city, while five newly-constructed infrastructures with 2600 beds will be prepared as isolation centres.
Sania said 71,665 people were so far kept at both home and institutional quarantine, and the number of people remain currently in quarantine is 12601 as rests were released after medical clearance.
She said till today 19,72,000 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.
Sania said the government by now prepared 7,693 isolation beds at different hospitals in the country to be run under a 21-point health guideline prescribing isolation and quarantine arrangements, PPE usage and hygienic environment.
She 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 Covid-19-infected patients.
The contact hotline and mobile numbers are 16263; 333; 10655 and 01944333222 – to receive information and treatment facilities on Covid-19.
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