ZCZC
BSS-08
COVID-19-QUARANTINE-RAJSHAHI (with picture)
495 more people sent to quarantine in Rajshahi division
RAJSHAHI, April 11, 2020 (BSS) – As part of the present hectic efforts of fighting against the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, a total of 495 new more people have been sent to home and institutional quarantine in all eight districts under Rajshahi division in the past 24 hours till 8 am today.
With this, the number of total quarantined people rose to 1,368 at present.
Divisional Director of Health Dr Gopendra Nath Acharya said a total of 8,231 people had, so far, been kept under quarantine since March 10 to prevent community transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Of them, 6,863 have, so far, been released as they were given clearance certificates after completing their respective 14-day quarantine period in the division.
Among the new ones, 268 have been kept at home quarantine in Chapainawabganj, 32 in Naogaon, one in Natore, eight in Joypurhat, 96 in Sirajgonj and 90 in Pabna districts.
Dr Gopendra Nath said a total of 33 patients are undergoing treatment in isolation units at present and 21 others were released.
He added that an integrated measure has been continuing to bring all the overseas returnees and other possible coronavirus infected suspects under home quarantine to curb the virus spread.
He also said all-out efforts have been adopted to follow the health related guidelines like staying at home, social distancing and washing hands with soap repeatedly.
Meanwhile, a total of 298 samples have, so far, been tested in the newly installed regional laboratory in the Department of Virology in Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) to detect coronavirus (COVID-19) infection here till Thursday last since its start on April 1, an official said here today.
“We have tested 93 samples yesterday and another 93 samples were collected from different districts of the division for testing today (Saturday),” said Prof Dr Sabera Gulnahar, head of the virology department and in-charge of the laboratory.
The laboratory has been established through installing all requisite equipment, including the Polymerase Chain Reaction, widely known as PCR, she added.
A team of trained technologists is collecting samples under supervision of all the authorities concerned including Surveillance Immunization Medical Officers of the World Health Organisation.
Subsequently, the collected samples are being tested in the laboratory here through using the PCR machine to get correct results and accordingly the test results are being sent to the IEDCR in Dhaka every day, she added.
BSS/AH/MMA/1255hrs