RANGPUR, March 25, 2020 (BSS) – Amid smooth movement of the Armed Forces to assist the civil administration in preventing community transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19), 2,024 migrants are remaining at home quarantine today in Rangpur division.
Health officials said 396 expatriate Bangladeshis have been quarantined at homes in last 24 hours in all eight districts of the division.
In last 24 hours, 396 new migrants, including 27 of Rangpur, 50 of Panchagarh, 16 of Nilphamari, 32 of Lalmonirhat, 34 of Kurigram, 42 of Thakurgaon, 173 of Dinajpur and 22 of Gaibandha districts have been home-
quarantined.
Focal Person of COVID-19 and Assistant Director (Health) for Rangpur division Dr. ZA Siddiqui said one suspected coronavirus patient is undergoing treatment now at the Isolation Unit of Rangpur Medical College Hospital
(RMCH).
“Since the beginning, 2,585 migrants were home-quarantined in Rangpur
division, and of them, 558 were released after expiry of their 14-day
quarantine period and two COVID-19 patients of Gaibandha district were sent
recently to the IEDCR at Dhaka,” he said.
He said 2,024 migrants are now remaining at home quarantines, including
173 in Rangpur, 510 in Panchagarh, 179 in Nilphamari, 153 in Lalmonirhat, 193
in Kurigram, 210 in Thakurgaon, 367 in Dinajpur and 239 in Gaibandha
districts of the division.
“We have kept 10 beds ready at the Isolation Unit of RMCH, 3 to 4 beds
ready in every upazila headquarters for isolation of COVID-19 infected
people, if necessary anytime,” he said.
Besides, the 100-bed Rangpur Shishu Hospital, 31-bed Haragachh Hospital,
Tazhat Chest Disease Hospital, Primary Teachers Training Institute and
Training Centre of the Department of Youth Development here will be used as
Corona Units if needed, he added.
Meanwhile, Rangpur City Corporation, Rangpur Metropolitan Police,
District Police, Public Health and Engineering Department and many voluntary
organisations are conducting activities to prevent community transmission of
coronavirus.
The activities include distribution of awareness raising leaflets,
masks, spraying antibiotics on the streets, roads, market and public places,
washing hands with shops and cleanliness campaign to prevent COVID-19 spread
in the city.
Rangpur Divisional Director (Health) Dr. Md. Amin Ahmed Khan said
activities are going on in a well-coordinated manner to prevent community
transmission of COVID-19 in the division.
Talking to BSS, Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md. Zakir
Hossain members of the Armed Forces are assisting the civil administration to
face the COVID-19 situation.
“The Armed Forces are assisting in preventing community and mass
gathering, ensuring quarantine of all migrants, monitoring institutional
quarantine and isolation units and health service providing facilities to
face the COVID-19 situation,” he said.
He called upon the mass media to create community awareness to ensure
cent percent home or institutional quarantines of all migrants for 14 days
and complying with health directives of the government to prevent community
spread of COVID-19.