The Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh may worsen after Eid-ul-Fitr due to widespread violations of health guidelines as people returned to their home districts for the holidays.
DGHS Director (Disease Control) and spokesperson Dr Nazmul Islam voiced the concerns over the mad rush home for the holidays during the bi-weekly health bulletin on the Covid-19 situation on Sunday.
News of the detection of the Indian variants has made people anxious. We have instructed the land port authorities to ensure institutional quarantine for entrants from India. The DGHS, district administrations and police are working tirelessly to bring the situation at the ports under control,” Dr Nazmul further said.
“We all need to look at the Indian variant transmission and be extremely cautious. Health authorities are paying attention to the situation. If the people do not strictly follow health guidelines, all that we have gained over the past few days will be lost,” he added.
Eid holidaymakers started leaving Dhaka using any means of transport | Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune
“The test positivity rate has remained under 10% for the past few days. This is a matter of hope, but it is no cause for complacency. People leaving Dhaka are forming huge crowds on public transports and this is cause for grave concern,” Dr Nazmul further said.
He urged everyone to celebrate Eid at the residences where they are currently staying and not to go outdoors to visit others.
“The treatment method for the Indian variants is almost the same as other variants, but new variants will continue to appear and the number of patients will never decrease if we cannot break the chain of infection,” the DGHS spokesperson said.
“Out health system has limited manpower and equipment. We may fall into uncomfortable circumstances if we are not careful,” he added, although mentioning that Bangladesh can supply three times the current demand for oxygen.
Prof Nazmul also said the Diarrhea situation in the southern zone of the country is under control now, but he feared an upcoming Dengue outbreak.
