But none was found infected by the virus in the last 24 hours and two patients have recovered, IEDCR Director Prof Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora said at a virtual briefing from her Mohakhali office here.
“We have detected no new case but one patient died of COVID-19 in last 24-hours. So, the total number of covid-19 detected patient remains at 39. Of them, five died and seven were discharged from hospital,” she added.
The deceased, aged 65, got infected coming in contact with a foreign returnee family member. He was detected with the virus on March 18 and was in isolation at a local hospital till March 20 and then he got admitted to Kuwait Maitree Hospital. He had diabetes and hypertension.
“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.
In Dhaka, the diagnosis facility is expanding to Gonoshasthaya Kendra, Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital, Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Sir Salimullah Medical College and Hospital, she added.
IEDCR field laboratory at Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases (BITID) at Faujdarhat in Chittagong will start diagnostic tests by tomorrow.
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 794 persons, of which 82 were tested in 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.
“People’s involvement is very important for keeping the situation under control. Whatever the government is doing, will go in vain if we cannot ensure people’s involvement,” the IEDCR chief said.
“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 iedcrcovid-19@gmail.com and facebook account-Iedcr.
(BSS)
