RANGPUR, April 23, 2020 (BSS) – A total of 25 quarantine and isolation centres with a total capacity of 2,552 beds are providing treatments to coronavirus (COVID-19) patients in all eight districts of Rangpur division.
Health officials said 10 quarantine centres at different institutions with 1,260 beds and 15 isolation centres at various hospitals with 1,292 beds are providing treatments to the suspected and COVID-19 infected patients.
“Fifteen dedicated hospitals having two intensive care units (ICU) with 13 beds and 13 ventilators at two government hospitals are giving treatments to COVID-19 patients,” said Divisional Director (Health) Dr. Md. Amin Ahmed Khan.
Of them, COVID-19 infected patients are now undergoing treatments at the newly launched Dedicated Corona Isolation Hospital with 10-beds at its ICU at the 100-bed Rangpur Shishu Hospital in Rangpur city.
“After receiving a total of 73,358 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPEs), we have already distributed 29,229 pieces among the physicians, nurses and other staffs with a current stock of 44,129 pieces in hands in the division,” he said.
Dr. Khan said the government hospitals and other health services providing facilities of Rangpur division currently have 1,005 physicians, 1,757 nurses and 5,907 other staffs to face the COVID-19 situation.
Meanwhile, a total of 21,733 people have been quarantined, and of them, 8,613 released and 13,120 are remaining in home or institutional quarantine in the division to prevent community transmission of coronavirus us (COVID-19).
Focal Person of COVID-19 and Assistant Director (Health) for Rangpur division Dr. ZA Siddiqui said all authorities concerned have put maximum efforts on preventing community transmission of COVID-19 infection.
“During the last 24 hours till 8 am today, 379 more people were quarantined and 720 others released in Rangpur division where a total of 62 COVID-19 positive patients have been detected till Wednesday,” Dr. Siddiqui said.
Of the total 62 COVID-19 positive patients in the division, three of them of Gaibandha and one each of Nilphamari and Thakurgaon were so far released from their home or institutional isolation after recovery.
The COVID-19 Laboratory at Rangpur Medical College (RMC) continues testing collected samples of suspected coronavirus patients since April 3 last while another such laboratory is being installed at M Abdur Rahman Medical College in Dinajpur.
The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) at Dhaka is extending assistance and supplying kits to the COVID-19 Laboratory at RMC for smoothly running samples’ testing activities.
“After receiving 3,024 kits so far from the IEDCR, the physicians with other staff already used 1,941 kits and completed tests of 1,853 samples of suspected COVID-19 patients till Wednesday at the COVID-19 Laboratory at RMC,” Dr. Siddiqui added.