With new cases of Covid-19 rising steadily for four days, the country faces the bleak prospect of another wave of the coronavirus that might put the health care system under serious strain again. The government has announced a set of 15 restrictions. Amid rising numbers of new cases for over a week, several Indian states have already announced curbs that include curfew in Kolkata and New Delhi. Experts warned that the situation in India suggests Bangladesh will see a major spike in the next couple of weeks. In mid-2020, the Delta variant of coronavirus put significant strain on Bangladeshi health facilities. The picture was similar in Indian hospitals in the preceding months.
First detected on 9 December in Bangladesh, a total of 10 Omicron infected patients have been detected through genome sequencing, which is a time-consuming and expensive procedure that can only be done in the capital. Due to the large population density in our country, low rate of vaccination and rampant violation of health protocols, Omicron may put hospitals under serious pressure just as the Delta variant did. According to the Directorate General of Health Services, only 27 per cent of the population has received two shots of a Covid vaccine. Besides, most people don’t wear masks and social distancing is now almost absent.
Dhaka and Natore are the high-risk areas where the positivity rate is high. Besides, the number of patients in hospitals across the country has increased by almost 13 per cent. Screening of passengers, who are arriving from Omicron-infected countries, at gateways should be strengthened. Besides, awareness campaigns on maintaining social distance, wearing masks, and frequent hand washing should be expanded involving community leaders in every nook and corner of the country. Also, the vaccination drive should be geared up with adequate supply of jabs, proper management and coordination at all levels.
