Reza Mahmud :
Covid infection rose by 107percent in four days in Dhaka since June 21. Data of the Directorate General of Health Services showed that highest covid cases were found in Dhaka divisions during the period, while most of them are detected in the capital city alone.
It recorded that about 106.75 percent infections happened between June 21 to June 24.
The data showed that a total of 1294 infections were detected on June 21, and 1496 cases logged on June 22.
About 2064 infections were detected on June 23 and 1572 cases recorded on June 24. The DGHS statistics said that a total of 8770 cases were logged in the last four days in the Dhaka divisions and about 8215 infections were recorded in previous seven days.
The statistics showed that more 555 cases were found in only four days comparatively with previous seven days.
Public health experts said that this is high time that it should be made punishable offences and offenders have to be punished in cases of violating health safety measures.
When contacted, Professor Dr. M. Muzaherul Huq, former Advisor of the World Health Organisation told The New Nation on Friday, “Everyone should keep it in mind that contamination may be contained seriously in Dhaka. Law enforcing agencies must be strict to take measures so that Dhaka residents and all offices, markets and shops to compel following health guidelines properly to curb the drastic covid contaminations.”
Shopping plazas and offices also should take strict measures to abide by the health precautions of wearing masks, sanitisation and social distancing, the Professor suggested.
The public health expert advised to involve local people as volunteers with other authorities should be engaged to ensure all organisations abide by the health rules or report to police or law enforcing agencies.
As the infections on surge, the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 on Thursday suggested the government to announce total shutdown for 14 days closing everything and opening only emergency services.
Contacted, eminent Virologist Professor Dr. Nazrul Islam, Member of NTAC and former Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University said, “The risks may be hiked more in the coming days as the people are not obeying the health rules.”
He also urged the government to use law enforcers for compliance of the safety rules to save all from the deteriorating pandemic situation.
Public health experts said that the alternative is lockdown or shutdown. But people must be informed beforehand about lockdown so that families are prepared with their food and other amenities. The daily earners should be supported with daily food locally in each ward, so that they too stay in and away from streets.
Corona infections has increased across the country after the Indian (Delta) variant of Covid transmissions detected in the locality. In these circumstances, the authorities have announced strict lockdown in several districts including the seven district surrounding Dhaka recently.
On the other hand Dhaka district administration decided to announce lockdown soon at Dohar and Nababgonj upazila of the district as the contamination is elevating there.
