DHAKA, March 26, 2020 (BSS) – Five new coronavirus (COVID-19) positive cases have been detected raising the total number to 44 while no death has been reported in the last 24 hours, according to Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).
“Five new COVID-19 cases have been detected…. the total number of positive cases stood at 44” IEDCR director Prof Meerjady Sabrina Flora told a virtual briefing at her Mohakhali office here today.
“All five infected cases are male. Among them, one is returnee from foreign country, three got infected coming in contact with COVID-19 positive people while another is yet to known,” she added.
Two newly infected people aged are 30 to 40, other two from 41 to 50 while another one aged is above 60, Prof Flora added.
Among the total coronavirus positive cases, 11 patients have recovered so far she said, adding that health conditions of other infected people are stable.
Since the confirmation of coronavirus positive cases in the country, five people died, the IEDCR sources said.
Prof Flora said, “IEDCR teams are collecting samples from different hospitals for confirming coronavirus cases…From now both government and private hospitals will send samples to IEDCR”.
“Primarily, the IEDCR will do the COVID-19 tests, but if needed, the government would expand the diagnosis facility to the divisional level across the country, the IEDCR director said.
“Area-based sample collection and testing facilities will be carried out across the country very soon for rapid confirmation coronavirus cases,” she said adding sample collections and testing facilities at Chattogram divisional level will be performed.
Prof Flora urged the people, who went to their village homes from Dhaka, to follow home quarantine for containing the spread of the deadly virus.
In Dhaka, the diagnosis facility is expanding to Gonoshasthaya Kendra, Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital, Dhaka Medical College and Hospital and Sir Salimullah Medical College and Hospital, she added.
The diagnosis facility will also be expanded to different medical colleges at the divisional level like Mymensingh Medical College, Rangpur Medical College, Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, Khulna Medical College and Barisal Medical College.
“So far, we have tested samples of 920 persons, of which 126 were tested in the last 24 hours. A total of 47 people have been kept in isolation, while 47 more are kept in institutional quarantine,” Prof Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora said.
She urged to call only the two numbers — 01944333222, 10655 – which will connect the other toll free numbers.
“We have to avoid going outside, most importantly wherever there is a chance of coming in contact with unknown people,” she further said.
People can get their required COVID-19 related information through e-mail [email protected] and facebook account-Iedcr.