Reza Mahmud :
Bangladesh corona situation may be painful in case of continuation of community transmission and lax lockdown, experts warned.
They say that maintaining the strict social distancing and total lockdown, the corona situation may improve with a relief to all.
Professor Dr. ABM Abdullah, Prime Minister’s Personal Physician, told The New Nation on Monday, “The people of our country have failed to ensure social distance so far. It created a serious vulnerable situation for everyone. If we failed to maintain social distancing right now, the nation will fall in grave risk of coronavirus epidemic.”
He urged people of all religions to avoid religious gathering right now.
The Muslims should offer their regular prayers at homes. They are advised to stay at homes on the night of the Shab-e-Barat, instead of going to the Masjids.
Similarly, the Hindus, the Buddhists and the Christians should avoid their worshipping centres during these days of emergency.
He also requested all to avoid cultural programmes on the first day of the Bengali New Year Pahela Boishakh, April 14, to evade mass gathering to contain the spread of the virus.
“The COVID-19 detected patients have leaped from 18 to 35 within 24 hours. It is really a matter to ponder. The community transmission might have started,” said Professor Dr. M. Muzaherul Huq, former South-East Asian Regional Advisor of World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday.
He said, the government and the people both should maintain and ensure social distancing strictly.
Besides, government should start test of common people massively, sparing none, taking even it upazila level hospitals.
“If anybody is infected by any type of virus, he hould be treated before going out of control,” Dr. Muzaherul Huq said.
The symptoms may not be found, even if a person is infected with coronavirus. Someone may be infected with coronavirus, but he can’t know it as no symptom was exposed in his body. But if he is tested , that could be known.
Thus, everyone should go through antibody tests. If anyone is found positive, then he may be taken under PCR test of coronavirus, the Professor said.
He also suggested the government to lockdown seriously those upazilas or areas with cluster transmissions.
Professor Kabirul Bashar of Zoology Department of Jahangirnagar University also expressed his anxiety at the loose lockdown situation.
“The situation is becoming worse day by day. If the people fail to ensure social distancing properly, the coronavirus outbreak might worsen sharply,” he said, everyone should stay at home to save his own life.
He said that the health infrastructure of our country is very weak, if the outbreak worsens, the situation will be sorrowful.
Besides, Health Minister Zahid Malik said on Monday that the next 15 days are very crucial for Bangladesh.
“No body should go out of their residence in the next 15 days. Everyone should stay at their homes by any means to contain spread of coronavirus,” he said while addressing a view exchange meeting over coronavirus situation in Dhaka.
