RAJSHAHI, April 16, 2020 (BSS) – As part of the present continuous and relentless efforts of bringing all the suspected people under quarantine, a total of 995 new more people were 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 stood to 4,448 at present, said Dr Gopendra Nath Acharya, Divisional Director of Health, adding a total of 11,842 people had, so far, been sent to quarantine since March 10 to prevent community transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Of them, 7,394 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, 32 have been kept at home quarantine in Rajshahi, 157 in Chapainawabganj, 94 in Naogaon, 23 Natore, 42 in Joypurhat, 332 in Bogura, 173 in Sirajgonj and 142 in Pabna districts.
Dr Gopendra Nath said a total of 49 patients are undergoing treatment in isolation units at present and 27 others were released.
He added that a collective effort has been continuing to bring all suspected people including the overseas returnees and other possible coronavirus infected under home quarantine over the last couple of weeks to curb the virus spread.
Meanwhile, a total of 615 samples have, so far, been tested in the regional laboratory to detect coronavirus (COVID-19) infection here till Wednesday last since its start on April 1.
“We have found four positive cases of coronavirus among the total tested samples in the laboratory installed in the Department of Virology in Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) to detect coronavirus (COVID-19),” said Prof Dr Sabera Gulnahar, head of the virology department and in-charge of the laboratory.
She added that 38 samples were tested yesterday and 84 more samples were collected from different districts of the division for testing today (Thursday).
On the other hand, the district administration has taken a decision of bringing all the people who returned back to Rajshahi from Dhaka and Narayanganj under testing.
Deputy Commissioner Hamidul Haque said hundreds of people have rushed into the district through trucks, covered vans and fish-carrying vehicles over the past one week.
“We have detected three positive cases of COVID-19 in Puthiya and Bagmara in the recent days,” he said, adding both of them were found as returnees from Dhaka and Narayanganj.
Besides, the Rajshahi district was brought under lockdown since April 14 last to contain the spread of coronavirus. During the lockdown, no incoming and outgoing activity is being allowed. However, emergency services like health and food supply are out of the purview.