DHAKA, May 7, 2020 (BSS) – Bangladesh today reported 13 more deaths from
the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) overnight and recorded 706 fresh positive
cases.
“Thirteen more COVID-19 patients died in the last 24 hours, increasing the
death count from the pandemic to 199,” DGHS Additional Director General
(administration) Prof Nasima Sultana told a virtual media briefing at the
Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in the city.
This is the second highest single-day spike of deaths from COVID-19 in
Bangladesh since the country reported 15 fatalities on April 17.
Nasima said the total number of coronavirus infections has surged to 12,425
during the period after 706 new COVID-19 cases were detected.
The health official said a total of 5,867 samples were tested at 34
authorised laboratories across the country in the past 24 hours.
Nasima said the total number of recoveries has climbed to 1,910 after 107
more patients were released from hospitals during the period.
Bangladesh confirmed the first coronavirus death on March 18, ten days
after the detection of the first COVID-19 cases.
Nasima said among the 13 deaths, six are in their 60s, four in their 50s,
two in their 40s and one between 11 and 20. Of the latest deaths, six are in
the capital city, while three are in Dhaka division and four in Chattogram
division.
Among the COVID-19-infected cases, nearly 75 percent patients are taking
treatment from their homes, and many of them are being cured every day after
receiving treatment through hotlines, she added.
As of today (May 7), of the total fatalities, 106 deaths were recorded in
Dhaka city.
Of the total 199 deaths, 165 took place in Dhaka division and rests are in
other seven divisions, the health official added.
Nasima said COVID-19 cases were found in 63 out of 64 districts, meaning
that almost all regions of the country are now risky for the fatal disease.
“No coronavirus positive case is yet to be reported in Rangamati district,”
she said.
The health official dubbed Dhaka and Narayanganj COVID-19 as “hotspots” as
the maximum number of cases were detected in the two cities.
As of May 6, Dhaka city has been considered as the worst-affected with 58.
65 percent of COVID cases, while Dhaka division has remained at the top
position with 83.05 percent infected cases out of total coronavirus patients,
according to Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).
Of the total infections, 8035 cases were reported in Dhaka division, 455
cases in Chattogram division, 366 cases in Mymensingh division, 189 cases in
Khulna division, 121 cases in Barishal division, 220 cases in Rangpur
division, 161 cases in Sylhet division and 128 cases in Rajshahi division, it
added.
Among the 63 COVID-19-prone districts, Narayanganj is the most hardest-hit
one with 1072 cases, according to the IEDCR data.
It is followed by Gazipur with 328 positive cases, Kishoreganj with 202
cases, Narsingdi with 167 cases, Mymensingh with 198 cases, Dhaka district
with 168 cases, Munshiganj with 170 cases, Madaripur with 53 cases,
Chattogram with 112 cases, Gopalganj with 45 cases, Shariatpur with 54 cases
, Lakhkhipur with 45 cases, Cox’s Bazar with 40 cases, Barishal with 44
cases, Jashore with 75 cases, Habiganj with 70 cases, Cumilla with 130 cases,
Jamalpur with 79 cases, Netrokona with 62 cases, Joypurhat with 34 cases and
Brahmanbaria with 56 cases.
According to the age-group, 8 percent COVID-19 cases are in their 60s, 13
percent in their 50s, 18 percent in their 40s, 24 percent in their 30s, 26
percent in their 20s while 8 is above 10 years and 3 percent below 10 years,
Nasima added.
According to the gender-based calculation of COVID-infected cases, 68
percent are male and 32 percent female, she said.
The health official said a total of 1,0,5,513 samples have so far been
tested since the detection of the first COVID-19 cases in the country.
As coronavirus outbreak is on the rising trend in the country, the health
official said, the government is expanding testing facilities across the
country with joint initiatives of government, non-government organizations,
universities, state-run research institutes and private hospitals to fight
the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are 34 PCR labs in the country, the health official said adding,
Dhaka University jointed testing activities through setting up a PCR lab.
Among them, Nasima said, some institutions are providing necessary support
including donating PCR labs and other equipment to different hospitals for
expediting testing activities in the country.
“We’re continuing sample collection of suspected COVID-19 people from door
to door… by involving the private sector, we’ll lintensify the process (of
collecting samples) from suitable locations to widen testing facilities for
quick confirmation of the deadly disease,” the health official said.
As part of efforts to increase testing activities, BRAC, a leading non-
government organization, has already set up four sample collection booths at
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), three booths at Shaheed
Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital and one at Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib
Memorial KPJ Specialised Hospital in Gazipur, she said.
Apart from BRAC, Nasima said, another non-government organization, JKG
Health Care, has installed sample collection booths in Dhaka city and
Narayanganj. “With the coordination of DGHS, they (JKG Health Care) are
collecting samples of coronavirus from their respective booths,” she said.
In case of elderly people as well as children and people with different
able, the government has preferred sample collection from their homes, the
heath official continued.
In a bid to expedite COVID-19 testing activities , the government will set
up required number of booths across the country, she added.
According to DGHS, a total of 2,0,4031 people were kept at both home and
institutional quarantine and 1,63,528 people were released from quarantine,
while the number of people who are now in quarantine is 40,503.
It said a total of 615 institutions have been prepared across the country
for keeping over 30,955 people in quarantine, adding nearly 1,771 people have
now been kept in isolation.
The health service organization said as part of taking preventative
measures to stop imported cases of COVID-19, the authorities of all gateways,
including airports, land ports and waterways, are continuing screening of all
foreign returnees.
It said the government has collected 20, 61,890 PPE so far, of which over
16,14,884 were distributed and 4,47,006 are in stock.
There are 9738 isolation beds in the country and 3944 of them are in Dhaka
city, it added.
The DGHS said in case of critical COVID-19 patients, special facilities
including oxygen, ICU and dialysis units are needed in hospitals. At present,
the country has 341 ICUs and 102 dialysis units, it added.
The DGHS sources said till today, nearly 42,49,367 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.
To receive information and treatment facilities on COVID-19, the contact
hotline and mobile numbers are 16263; 333; 10655 and 01944333222.
As of May 7, 2020, 11:51 GMT, 265,668 people have died so far from the
coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak and there are 3, 843,524 currently confirmed
cases in 212 countries and territories, according to Worldometer, a reference
website that provides counters and real-time statistics for diverse topics.
China was the world’s first country which on January 11 reported the first
death from the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, the capital of Central China’s
Hubei province.