Staff Reporter :
Public health experts have urged the government to stop flight operations with the UK for a few weeks and strengthen monitoring and screening at the airports to prevent the import of the new Covid-19 variant identified in the UK which is more transmissible than the previous one.
“The new variant of coronavirus found in the UK has already spread to Singapore and some European countries. It is up to 70 per cent more infectious but not too much deadly. The mutated variant of the virus will mount pressure on the hospitals if it spreads to our country,” said MH Chowdhury Lenin, Chairman of the Medicine Department at the Health and Hope Hospital.
He said the government should consider suspending flights with the UK to prevent the import of this strain. “If the government feels problem to stop the flight operation with the UK, then those who’ll come from that country should be kept in quarantine mandatorily for at least 10 days under the supervisor of the government.”
“Even those who’ll arrive with negative certificates should be sent to quarantine as they may get transmitted with the virus during their travel time. So, we shouldn’t depend on the negative reports regarding the UK passengers,” observed MH Chowdhury Lenin, a public health expert.
Besides, he said, the government should also increase its monitoring on the passengers of Singapore. “The number one standard of tackling any pandemic is to restrict the entry of the disease or the infected people.”
Lenin said two types of kits — one-gene kit and three-gene one – is used in the RT PCR test. “The mutated virus can’t be detected by the one-gene kit many times. So, we suggest using the three-gene kit in the RT PCR test. Or else, we may get many false-negative reports.”
On Thursday, scientists at the Bangladesh Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) said a new strain of coronavirus detected in Bangladesh in early November which has similarities to the new variant of the virus found in the UK.
Dr Salim Khan, Principal Scientific Officer of the BCSIR, said they identified the new variant through the latest sequence of coronaviruses in the first week of November.
He said they found the new variant almost similar to the one identified in the UK. “But it’s not cent percent the same.”
Mohibul Haque, Senior Secretary of the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry, said on Thursday that Bangladesh will decide on suspending flights to the UK after understanding the situation over the spread of a new strain of the novel coronavirus there.
“We are aware of the situation. We are collecting information. We are yet to make any decision on suspending flight to the UK. Action will be taken after understanding the situation in this regard,” he told reporters at his Secretariat Office.
Commenting on the issue, former World Health Organization (WHO) regional advisor Muzaherul Huq said that much of the world shut their borders to Britain after a mutated variant of the coronavirus was discovered spreading swiftly across Southern England.
“More than 40 countries restricted travel from Britain in a bid to contain the new strain of the novel coronavirus. Bangladesh is still operating flights to UK and carrying passengers from the country. This has heightened the risk of infection afresh among Bangladeshi population,” he added.
The public health expert urged the government to halt flight operation with the UK for at least 15 days to prevent the import of the new Covid-19 variant in the country. “At the same time, the government should enforce stringent screening measure at the airport to prevent imported cases.”
When asked, ASM Alamgir, Principal Scientific Officer at the IEDCR, said the government has already strengthened its monitoring at the airports. “No one will be allowed to enter Bangladesh without Covid-19 negative report. We took action against some airlines last week for carrying passengers without PCR test report, and now no passenger is coming without the test report.”
Alamgir said they have already instructed the airport authorities to separately examine the passengers coming from the UK. “If any passenger from the UK comes without Covid-19 negative report, we’ll send him/her to quarantine.”
