THE deadly Indian variant of Covid-19 has been detected in two Indian returnees’ bodies in Bangladesh. India on Friday reported another record daily rise in coronavirus cases, 414,188, bringing a total of new cases for the week to 1.57 million while deaths rose by 3,915 to 234,083. India’s close neighbour Nepal has been witnessing the prevalence of the Indian variant that has killed on average 55 people in the last few days and a record number of confirmed cases. Catastrophe in Delhi and the intrusion of the virus variant in Nepal are warning signals for Bangladesh to gear up preparedness and protocols to fight against the deadly variant. Loopholes in isolation and quarantine system should be plugged in to prevent the pathogen from infecting people in Bangladesh though Dhaka has closed borders with India amid the surge of the virus. Unfortunately, we have not learnt much from the chaotic situation of last year’s healthcare management that increased the loss of life in the ongoing second wave. If the Indian mutant becomes prevalent, it will be more deadly here than in India as our healthcare system is more fragile than India.
Officials at the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) said that the Indian variant of coronavirus was detected in samples from Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. The Indian variant has recently been listed as a ‘Variant of Interest’ by the World Health Organization. A mathematical model prepared by advisers to Narendra Modi suggested India’s coronavirus outbreak could peak in the coming days, but the group’s projections have been changing and proved wrong last month. Scientists largely agree that the coming few weeks will be difficult for India.
Dhaka’s move for collecting vaccine from different sources apart from India is good. But as vaccine collection and inoculation will take time, the government should take thorough preparations like keeping a reserve of oxygen cylinders, installing central oxygen systems in large hospitals, quick installation of equipment like ventilation and portable X-ray machines, making available life- saving drugs, appointing more health workers and creating logistics support to save lives. That our neighbours are already suffering from a more deadly mutant means the danger is knocking at our door. Every effort should be made to ensure that the closure of borders with India is strictly observed in practice and leads to expected results to prevent the new variant from infecting our people on a large scale.
