Reza Mahmud :
As the novel coronavirus spreads from China to more than 73 countries, Bangladesh appears especially at high risk because of its dense population, unreliable health-care system and high rate of migration, officials and experts said.
They observed Bangladesh’s healthcare remains ill prepared to cope with the potential outbreak of the virus which has so far killed more than 3200- the vast majority in China’s Hubei province, where the outbreak originated in December.
Sensing the danger, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque said, coronavirus spread in our neighboring countries, so, the virus may enter in our country any time.
Besides, about one crore Bangladeshi expatriates are living different countries. The virus may spread by those in our country.
“If the virus enter our country, we will face the risk,” the minister said in a programme in the capital on Wednesday.
“Bangladesh is not free from risk in the present situation, though no coronavirus patient has so far been detected in the country,” Dr Meerjadi Sabrina Flora, Director of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) told at a media briefing yesterday.
“The virus has now been detected in at least 74 countries adding to new dimension in the preparedness in Bangladesh,” she said calling upon Bangladeshi citizens, who rerun from China, to avoid public transport, social programmes and unnecessary trips.
“They should stay at home in self-quarantine to thwart a possible outbreak of coronavirus here,” she added.
Dr Meerjadi Sabrina Flora also said that the government has already finalized a three-tier protective measure to prevent a potential outbreak of the virus here.
“As the outbreak spreads rapidly around the world, Bangladesh is at risk of an attack by the deadly virus, and more caution is required to tackle the situation,” Dr Kabirul Basher, a professor of Entomology in Zoology Department of Jahangirnagar University, told The New Nation.
Besides, one Bangladeshi living in Italy has infected with the novel coronavirus.
He is now in the country’s Milan city. It brings the total numbers of the cases of expatriate Bangladeshi infected with the virus are seven.
The rest of six cases are found among the Singapore expatriates Bangladeshi men.
About Italy’s case of Bangladeshi man, ASM Alamgir, Principal Scientific Officer of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), confirmed the matter to journalists.
About the health condition and other details of the Bangladeshi man could not be known immediately
In this situation, Bangladesh government has taken cautionary measures to protect spreading of the virus among the people.
As part of the preventive measures, the government suspended on arrival visa for the citizens of four coronavirus hotspot countries out of China.
Apart from this, the health ministry has formed committees to protect the virus.
“Besides, Bangladesh has suspended on arrival visa for citizens of four countries which are Iran, South Korea, Japan and Italy as the virus infection is found are accelerating in these countries,” said Dr. Meerjadi Sabrina Flora.
“After China, those four countries are identified as the hotspot of coronavirus infections,” Dr. Sabrina said.
She said that citizens of those four countries have to apply for visa through our foreign ministry.
They must have to submit their health certificates with their visa application that they have not infected by Covid-19, or they have quarantined immediately.
The IEDCR Director said that 102 persons has screening so far but have no coronavirus infection cases found so far.
She said that there are some multi-sectoral committees have been formed in national, district and upazila levels to protect coronavirus spreading in the country.
“We have giving necessary directives to those committees regularly as per our policies to keep our people protected from the virus,” the Director said.
