The government is on a war footing as coronavirus has claimed the second life in Bangladesh infecting four new people.
With the latest figure, the number of cases rose to 24 including two deaths. Urging people to stay at home, if it is not urgent to come out, Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Saturday claimed they are taking all out preparations to combat the virus.
“You all can see what is happening in the world. It’s a pandemic situation. We are taking strict measures to save our people. But we need your cooperation,” he said. A total of 400 new Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds will be added to country’s government hospital to tackle coronavirus situation, the minister said, adding, “Already, there’re 200 ICU beds in the country’s government hospital. Besides, the work on setting up of 100 more such beds is underway while a process is on to bring necessary equipment to set up 300 more ICU beds.”
The minister came up with the remarks at a press conference at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on the country’s coronavirus situation.
He said a devolved country like Italy has only around 650 ICU beds. “People will get benefited immensely if we can increase our ICU beds to 600. “
There are reports that people are not maintaining the mandatory 14 days home quarantine after returning home from abroad. Of the cases, most of them are Europe returnees and their family members.
The government has imposed ban on movement in Shibchar upazila in Madaripur district in the central Bangladesh.
The health minister said most the cases they found came from those areas including Faridpur.
People have been asked to avoid crowds and wash hands frequently with soap. Cover cough and sneezes is also a general advice the government is giving to all to stop the spread of the virus that killed over 10,000 people after being emerged from China’s Wuhan city in December.
Europe is the current epicenter with the Italy the worst-hit.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has urged all countries to unite in their battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are facing a global health crisis unlike any in the 75-year history of the United Nations — one that is spreading human suffering, infecting the global economy and upending people’s lives,” he said.
“We are in an unprecedented situation and the normal rules no longer apply. We cannot resort to the usual tools in such unusual times,” he said, “Our world faces a common enemy. We are at war with a virus.”
Ruling Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader urged all to abide by the health rules instead of being panicked.
“We have to be conscious and abide by the health rules to protect ourselves from this deadly virus,” he said while distributing hand sanitizers and masks among people at the political office of AL president at Dhanmondi on Saturday.
He hoped that people would get rid of COVID-19 disease if they follow the health rules carefully and with utmost sincerity.
The health minister said they are preparing 2000-bed in different hospitals. Apart from that, Biswa Ijtem ground in Tongi has been given to Bangladesh army to develop quarantine and isolation facilitires.
Some 50 people are in institutional quarantine and around 14,000 people are home quarantined across Bangladesh.
He said they will identify the expatriates who returned home but are not maintaining mandatory 14 days home quarantine by hiding their information. “We have sent the list to the local administration”.
The government is preparing Sheikh Russel Gastronomy Institute and Sheikh Hasina Burn Unit in DMCH for treating the coronavirus patients.
Two locations in Mirpur and Uttara have been selected for institutional quarantine, he said, adding that they are also expanding the testing facilities across Bangladesh.
“We have received seven testing machines. We’ll set up those in new locations for testing people with coronavirus symptoms,” he said, adding that it will take time since these sophisticated machines require biosafety lab.
He said 400 ICUS will be set up soon as a percentage of the infected, mostly elderly and those who have co-morbidities might need intensive care.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdulo Momen urged people to join hands with the government.
He said the government cut links of air flights with all countries except China, Hong Kong, Thailand and the UK.
Leaves of officials at the Health Ministry, Foreign Ministry and field-level officials have been cancelled.
He said China would bring testing kits and medical logistics at any time by a chartered flight. Private companies are also willing to bring similarly.
This Chinese Emergency Humanitarian Aid Project includes coronavirus test kits for 10,000 people, 15,000 surgical N95 respirators (medical N95 mask), 10,000 medical protective clothing and 1000 infrared thermometers, according to Chinese Embassy in Dhaka.
The Election Commission postponed the upcoming Chattogram city corporation polls on Saturday after holding the parliamentary by-elections of Dhaka-10, Gaibandha-3 and Bagerhat-4.
All schools have earlier been closed till March 31. The government also discouraged devotes against gathering in mosques and temples. Many Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia closed prayers in mosques.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged people not to hoard food as people continue to buy in panic. She assured the countrymen of enough stocks of food grains.
This Bangladesh Post correspondent saw a person was giving about Tk35,000 bill for the groceries he bought from a super shop for his family. “Anything can happen,” he said when asked.
Bangladesh confirmed the first three cases on March 8. The WHO declared the outbreak a pandemic on March 11 when the virus, official name COVID-19, spread almost all countries in the world. Bangladesh reported first death on March 18.