RAJSHAHI, April 23, 2020 (BSS) – A total of 758 more people have been sent
to home and institutional quarantine afresh as a part of hectic efforts of
bringing all the suspected people under 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 8,155 at
present.
Divisional Director of Health Dr Gopendra Nath Acharya said a total of
17,758 people had, so far, been kept under quarantine since March 10 to
prevent community transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Of them, 9,573 have, by now, been released as they were given clearance
certificates after completing their respective 14-day quarantine period in
the division.
Among the new quarantined people, 12 have been kept under home quarantine
in Rajshahi, 104 in Chapainawabganj, 163 in Naogaon, 13 in Natore, 52 in
Joypurhat, 138 each in Bogura, Sirajgonj and Pabna districts.
Dr Nath said a total of 102 patients are undergoing treatment in isolation
units of different hospitals and 69 others were released.
He added that utmost emphasis has been given to bring all the suspected
people under quarantine as it is being adjudged as an important means of
containing the community transmission of the virus.
To this end, 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 said.
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 and sanitizer repeatedly.
On other hand, a total of 10,473.68 tonnes of foodstuff has, so far, been
distributed among 9,93,328 daily wage earning and other hand-to-mouth
families aimed at mitigating their hardship related to livelihood amid the
novel coronavirus pandemic in Rajshahi division.
“Each of the beneficiary families was given 10 kilograms of rice equally
in all eight districts in the division till 8 am today,” said Humayun Kabir
Khandaker, commissioner of Rajshahi division, adding Taka 5.44 crore in cash
was distributed among 5,04,882 families in the division.
He also said 959.47 more tonnes of rice and over Taka 62.20 lakh in cash
are in stock at present for distribution.
Besides, 13,269.24 tonnes of rice has been distributed among the families
in need at Taka 10 per kilogram while 4,682.15 tonnes remained in stock at
present for distribution.
Meanwhile, a total of 35,392 personal protective equipment (PPEs) have, so
far, been handed over to the frontline healthcare workforces to tackle the
present COVID-19 pandemic through protecting them from the virus infection in
the division, said Humayun Kabir.
There are 27,299 more PPEs in stock for distribution.
A total of 808 doctors and 1,512 nurses are working in 172 public and
private hospitals in the division. Around 1,876 beds among total 4,149 ones
were already prepared for treatment of the possible COVID-19 infected
patients to face any emergency situation.
There are arrangements of 220 beds in isolation units here and 17
ambulances for the purpose of transporting the infected patients for
emergency treatment.