Health Minister Zahid Maleque has inaugurated a new “Integrated Control Room” for Covid-19.
The minister inaugurated the control room at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) at Mohakhali, Dhaka on Tuesday.
DGHS Director General (DG) Dr Abul Kalam Azad and World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative Dr Bardan Jung Rana were present at the time, among others.
A total of 10 people have been infected with coronavirus in Bangladesh till date.
Earlier in the day, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Director Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora said of the 10, the first three patients have recovered fully.
She also said till now, 16 people have been placed under isolation, while 43 people were under institutional quarantine.
Dr Meerjady also noted that 150 ICU (Intensive Care Unit) beds have been readied in Dhaka as a precaution for the global outbreak.
The IEDCR confirmed that till now 277 people in Bangladesh underwent testing for the novel coronavirus.
Although the government has not disclosed the exact number of coronavirus testing kits in the country, authorities concerned have ensured that they have acquired enough kits to test suspected patients and have taken necessary measures to combat the deadly virus.
The testing criteria for coronavirus include symptoms of fever, cold, coughing, sore throat and anyone who had returned home from abroad, or anyone with a family member returning home from aboard recently.
Covid-19, a new strain of coronavirus, has killed over 7,000 people around the world.
As of now, over 182,726 people have been infected by the strain, which spread from China’s Wuhan city at the end of December last year.
The government on March 14, had prohibited all incoming flights from Europe, except the United Kingdom, till March 31.
Later, on Monday, the government made 14-day home quarantine mandatory for anyone arriving here from abroad.
On the same day, the government declared that all educational institutions under the Ministry of Education across Bangladesh will be shut from March 18 till 31, in an effort to stem the spread of coronavirus in the country.
Besides, all cinema halls around Bangladesh are going into lockdown mode from March 18 to April 2.
