Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) will start testing coronavirus infection using a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machine from Tuesday.
Khulna Civil Surgeon confirmed the matter and said around 45 samples were sent to Dhaka in the last two days, of which, 22 returned with negative results. The test results of the rest 23 are yet to return.
Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque will formally inaugurate the testing station at 12pm, he said.
Dr Shahnaz Pavrin, head of the Microbiology Department at KMCH said the entire department would work to tackle Covid-19 cases. A expert would assist in testing from Khulna.
She added that 240 kits have been acquired to test the virus. Each test would take upto 3-4 hours.
KMCH Director Dr Munshi Md Reza Sekander said at present a total of 240 patients are receiving treatment at the hospital at different wards. Many patients are not getting admitted fearing coronavirus.
KMCH coronavirus unit spokesperson Dr Sailendranath Biswas said one more patient was admitted on Monday. At present three people are being treated at the unit, whereas, sample of one patient was sent to Dhaka.
Sources at the hospital said, the PCR machine has been set up on the third floor of the hospital where a molecular laboratory was established earlier.
Meanwhile, Khulna Diabetic Hospital has been kept ready for coronavirus patients where 60 doctors, 60 nurses, and 50 health workers have been provided with necessary training at the hospital.
Only coronavirus infected patients would be treated at the isolation wards of Khulna Diabetic Hospital and before confirmation all the patients would be kept at the ICU building at the KMCH.
Bangladesh on Monday reported three more deaths taking the number to 13.
IEDCR Director Meerjady Sabrina Flora said 35 were infected with coronavirus in the last 24 hours raising the number to 123.
Earlier Health Minister Zahid Maleque said four people died from coronavirus and 29 others tested positive in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday informed that a total of 62,784 people died of COVID-19 globally as of 10:00 CET Sunday.
The number of infections surged to 1,133,758, while the death toll outside China rose to 59,446, it said.
