The government has spent Tk2.3 crore to bring back 312 stranded Bangladeshis home following the highly-contagious coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak in the Hubei province of China.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry Public Relations Officer (PRO) Tanvir Ahmed confirmed the matter to Dhaka Tribune on Monday.
Earlier on Saturday, a Biman Bangladesh special flight – Rescue Ferry Flight 7002 – carrying the 312 Bangladeshis arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
On December 31, 2019, the first case of coronavirus infection was detected in the Hubei province of China. The Chinese government locked down the city of Wuhan of the province after the virus quickly spread across its citizens.
Following the lockdown, Bangladeshi students living in the city among other foreigners were trapped in the city and appealed for help to the Bangladesh government through the embassy in China. The government then took immediate steps to evacuate the stranded Bangladeshis.
As it takes almost 14 days to show symptoms of coronavirus infection, the government has set up a quarantine zone at Haji Camp at the capital’s Ashkona area to keep the returnees from China under observation. The returnees were tested upon arrival and are being monitored by physicians at the camp.
DGHS: No Bangladeshi returnee found infected
Meanwhile, the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has confirmed that no returnee has been found infected with coronavirus till now.
In a statement released on Monday, IEDCR said one of the returnee from China has been admitted to Kurmitola General Hospital as he developed fever at the quarantine zone.
The IEDCR said the number of returnees from China screened at the airport in the last 24 hours stand at 623, while a total of 5952 people returned home from China since January 21, 2020.
No passengers were found positive while screening at the airport. A total of 32 people visited the IEDCR for 2019-nCoV (Coronavirus) related issues. Till now, the IEDCR took samples of 39 people for 2019-nCoV tests.
IEDCR launches hotline
The IEDCR has launched four hotlines for creating awareness among people about novel coronavirus.
The government has taken various preventive measures following outbreak of coronavirus in different countries including China and IEDCR launched the hotlines as part of the measures, said a handout on Monday.
The hotlines are: 01937110011, 01937000011, 01927711784 and 01927711785.