bdnews24.com:
The deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) has given a wake-up call to Bangladesh authorities to take a fool-proof preparation ahead of Hajj pilgrimages.
An expert on this new coronavirus Prof Mahmudur Rahman said “coordination” would be key to the contingency plan.
Being director of the government’s disease monitoring arm, IEDCR, he did not see any “national threat” at this moment even after Bangladesh found a MERS case last week.
“We traced all the contacts of the person (who was infected). There is no new case,” he said.
But, he is concerned over the upcoming Hajj pilgrimages when nearly 100,000 people would travel to Saudi Arabia where the virus already showed a surge before abating last couple of weeks.
Prof Rahman is also a member of the WHO panel of experts on MERS emergency committee who make technical decision based on which WHO Chief gives her decision.
After the 6th meeting of this committee, the WHO on Jun 17 said Saudi Arabia made “significant efforts” to strengthen infection prevention and control measures, but the situation continued to be “of concern” especially given an anticipated increase in travel to Saudi Arabia for Umra, Ramadan and the Hajj.
Saudi authority has already written to Bangladesh like many other countries to take extra preparations this time before sending Hajj pilgrims.
It has advised not to send those who are 60 years and more and children, who are less immune to fight an infection.
The virus so far spread to 22 countries including Bangladesh and killed more than 30 percent of infected people. Bangladeshi victim recuperated.
“We have to be particularly careful as hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis live in middle-east,” Prof Rahman said. Middle-East is the main labour destination of Bangladesh.
“We have to make them aware of the disease when they travel back to Dhaka,” he said, “And it has to be done for the pilgrims also”.
The strain of coronavirus that causes MERS was first identified in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. Last year the government has to take preparations and IEDCR printed more than 150,000 cards containing awareness messages to be distributed among the pilgrims.
But later IEDCR monitoring team found that airlines did not distribute those properly.
“We must need cooperation from airlines and civil aviation authority,” Prof Rahman said.
He said, this year Saudi Arabia will also inform people about the virus when they issue visa.
“People have to be aware so that they report to their nearby hospital if feel sick within 14 days of returning back to Dhaka”.
Rahman said, WHO does not encourage screening at the airport as in 2009 during the pandemic influenza period it did not find it useful.
“People can travel from one place to another within the incubation period (when the disease symptoms do not appear),” he said, “So it (screening on entry) would not work in that case”.
“It’s a multi-sectoral task”, he said and suggested reactivating of the national task force committees which have been formed during the pandemic period when Bangladesh’s prevention plan had been appreciated by WHO.
Prof Rahman said people with diabetes, cancer, and uncontrolled hypertension would be discouraged from going to perform Hajj.
“All have to be aware (of it) before going to Hajj,” he said.
He suggested covering mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, washing hands, and keeping a distance of one metre with other persons who have fever and breathing distress.
Besides he said, special instructions would be given not to drink camel milk or any camel products.
Saudi Arabia might not slaughter camel this year, he said.
He also urged all to avoid crowds during Hajj time other than mandatory gatherings for Hajj rituals.
The deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) has given a wake-up call to Bangladesh authorities to take a fool-proof preparation ahead of Hajj pilgrimages.
An expert on this new coronavirus Prof Mahmudur Rahman said “coordination” would be key to the contingency plan.
Being director of the government’s disease monitoring arm, IEDCR, he did not see any “national threat” at this moment even after Bangladesh found a MERS case last week.
“We traced all the contacts of the person (who was infected). There is no new case,” he said.
But, he is concerned over the upcoming Hajj pilgrimages when nearly 100,000 people would travel to Saudi Arabia where the virus already showed a surge before abating last couple of weeks.
Prof Rahman is also a member of the WHO panel of experts on MERS emergency committee who make technical decision based on which WHO Chief gives her decision.
After the 6th meeting of this committee, the WHO on Jun 17 said Saudi Arabia made “significant efforts” to strengthen infection prevention and control measures, but the situation continued to be “of concern” especially given an anticipated increase in travel to Saudi Arabia for Umra, Ramadan and the Hajj.
Saudi authority has already written to Bangladesh like many other countries to take extra preparations this time before sending Hajj pilgrims.
It has advised not to send those who are 60 years and more and children, who are less immune to fight an infection.
The virus so far spread to 22 countries including Bangladesh and killed more than 30 percent of infected people. Bangladeshi victim recuperated.
“We have to be particularly careful as hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis live in middle-east,” Prof Rahman said. Middle-East is the main labour destination of Bangladesh.
“We have to make them aware of the disease when they travel back to Dhaka,” he said, “And it has to be done for the pilgrims also”.
The strain of coronavirus that causes MERS was first identified in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. Last year the government has to take preparations and IEDCR printed more than 150,000 cards containing awareness messages to be distributed among the pilgrims.
But later IEDCR monitoring team found that airlines did not distribute those properly.
“We must need cooperation from airlines and civil aviation authority,” Prof Rahman said.
He said, this year Saudi Arabia will also inform people about the virus when they issue visa.
“People have to be aware so that they report to their nearby hospital if feel sick within 14 days of returning back to Dhaka”.
Rahman said, WHO does not encourage screening at the airport as in 2009 during the pandemic influenza period it did not find it useful.
“People can travel from one place to another within the incubation period (when the disease symptoms do not appear),” he said, “So it (screening on entry) would not work in that case”.
“It’s a multi-sectoral task”, he said and suggested reactivating of the national task force committees which have been formed during the pandemic period when Bangladesh’s prevention plan had been appreciated by WHO.
Prof Rahman said people with diabetes, cancer, and uncontrolled hypertension would be discouraged from going to perform Hajj.
“All have to be aware (of it) before going to Hajj,” he said.
He suggested covering mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, washing hands, and keeping a distance of one metre with other persons who have fever and breathing distress.
Besides he said, special instructions would be given not to drink camel milk or any camel products.
Saudi Arabia might not slaughter camel this year, he said.
He also urged all to avoid crowds during Hajj time other than mandatory gatherings for Hajj rituals.
