DHAKA, May 20, 2020 (BSS) – Bangladesh today reported 1617 fresh positive
cases from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the highest single-day jump,
increasing the virus caseload to 26,738.
“The fatalities from the pandemic also surged to 386 as 16 more COVID-19
patients died in the last 24 hours,” DGHS Additional Director General
(administration) Prof Nasima Sultana told a virtual media briefing at the
Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in the city.
She said that a total of 10,207 samples, the highest in a single day, were
tested at 43 the authorised labs across the country during the period.
The health official informed that the recovery count also jumped to 5,207
in the last 24 hours after 214 patients were discharged from hospitals.
Bangladesh confirmed the first coronavirus death on March 18, ten days
after the detection of the first COVID-19 cases.
Among the total infections, 19.47 percent patients have recovered while
1.04 percent died so far since the first COVID-19 positive cases were
reported in the country on March 8, the heath official said.
Nasima said nearly 75 percent COVID-19 patients are taking treatment from
their homes, and many of them are being cured every day after receiving
treatment through hotlines.
She said among the 16 deaths, one is in his 30s, one in his 30s, one in his
40s, five in their 50s, four in their 60s, two in their 70s, one in his 80s
and one below 10.
Among the COVID-19 victims, the health official said seven are in Dhaka
city and rests are outside the capital city.
According to the division-wise data, seven deaths took place in Dhaka
division, five in Chattogram division, three in Rangpur division and one in
Barishal division.
Analyzing the overall trend of COVID-19 in the past three weeks, Nasima
said a total of 3792 positive cases with 35 deaths were reported from April
26 to May 2, 4980 infections with 39 fatalities from May 3 to May 9 and 9,225
cases with 101 deaths from May 10 to 16.
She said COVID-19 cases were found in 64 districts, meaning that all
regions of the country are now risky for the fatal disease.
The health official dubbed Dhaka and Narayanganj COVID-19 as “hotspots” as
the maximum number of cases were detected in the two cities.
According to the data of DGHS, Chattogram division, with 2,065 cases, has
been identified as a “new epicenter” of COVID-19.
As of May 19, Dhaka city has been considered as the worst-affected with
56.55 percent of COVID cases, while Dhaka division has remained at the top
position with 76.11 percent infected cases out of total coronavirus patients,
according to Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).
Of the total infections, 14,137 cases were reported in Dhaka division,
2,065 cases in Chattogram division, 669 cases in Mymensingh division, 393
cases in Khulna division, 162 cases in Barishal division, 564 cases in
Rangpur division, 245 cases in Sylhet division and 340 cases in Rajshahi
division, it added.
Among the COVID-19-prone districts, Narayanganj is the most hardest- hit
one with 1,508 cases, according to the IEDCR data.
It was followed by Chattogram with 940 cases, Gazipur with 535 positive
cases, Munshiganj with 383, Cumilla with 371 cases, Mymensingh with 340
cases, Dhaka with 274 cases, Rangpur with 286 cases, Kishoreganj with 207
cases and Narsingdi with 174 cases.
Other districts where significant number of COVID-19 patients were detected
include Madaripur with 69 cases, Gopalganj with 115 cases, Shariatpur with
73, Faridpur with 69 cases, Lakhkhipur with 101 cases, Cox’s Bazar with 199
cases, Jashore with 109 cases, Sylhey with 48 cases Habiganj with 112 cases,
Jamalpur with 52 cases, Netrokona with 112 cases, Chandpur with 86 cases,
Feni with 90 cases , Dinajpur with 67 cases, Nilphamari with 53 cases,
Barishal with 60 cases, Noakhali with 168 cases, Brahmanbaria with 67 cases,
Joypurhat with 69 cases, Chuadanga with 89 cases and Jhenidah with 45 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 percent is above 10 years and 3 percent below 10
years, Nasima added.
As per 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 2,03,852 samples have so far been
tested at 43 PCR labs since the detection of the first COVID-19 cases in the
country.
Of the total 43 PCR labs, 22 labs are in Dhaka city and 21 outside the
capital city, she said adding, in the past 24 hours, United Hospital Limited
has been included in the list of testing activities of COVID-19 cases.
The government is expanding healthcare facilities for COVID-19 patients,
Nasima said, adding 500 isolation beds are being prepared at Mymensingh
Medical College Hospital, while 200 beds are being readied at Mymensingh
Nursing College dormitories.
She said a total of 4150 isolation beds have been added to the healthcare
services in Dhaka city. There are 13,284 isolation beds in the country and of
them 7,250 in Dhaka city.
She 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 a total of 399 ICUs and 102 dialysis units,
Nasima said.
According to the DGHS, a total of people 2,51,502 were kept at both home
and institutional quarantine and 1,98,561 people were released from
quarantine, while the number of people who are now in quarantine is 52,941.
It said a total of 626 institutions have been prepared across the country
for keeping over 31,840 people in quarantine, adding nearly 3,816 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 2,306,908 PPE so far, of which over
20,07,322 were distributed and 3,51,707 are in stock.
The DGHS sources said till today, nearly 64,78,684 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 20, 2020, 11:24 GMT, 325,325 people have died so far from the
COVID-19 outbreak and there are 5,008,183 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.