Bangladesh has recorded the first death of a Rohingya from coronavirus infection from Ukhiya’s Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar.
A 71-years-old Rohingya man died in an isolation facility run by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) outside the camps in Ukhiya, according to an official of an international organization.
"We have bad news. A 71-years-old Rohingya male died from Covid-19 on Sunday, but the result of his test came on Monday. This is the first death in the camps," Dr Mahbubur Rahman, civil surgeon of Cox's Bazar, told Dhaka Tribune on Tuesday.
To a question, the civil surgeon said that so far 29 of about one million Rohingyas from Myanmar sheltered in 34 camps have been infected with the virus that causes Covid-19.
On May 14, the congested Rohingya settlements reported their first infection.
Meanwhile, nine more Rohingya who came in contact with the deceased have been sent to isolation, our Cox’s Bazar correspondent added.
The deceased was a registered resident of Ukhiya’s Kutupalong refugee camp.
Talking to Dhaka Tribune, Dr Abu Toha MRH Bhuiyan, health coordinator of the Refugee, Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, said samples from the deceased were sent to Cox’s Bazar Medical College for testing. The test results that came on Tuesday confirmed that he was Covid-19 positive.
He also said the deceased was buried while maintaining coronavirus guidelines.
