With 44 confirmed cases and five dead in Bangladesh as a result of the coronavirus, it is imperative that we take every measure possible to ensure that this global pandemic is not allowed to take root and spread in our nation.
In this regard, the government has taken commendable steps, such as declaring a nationwide suspension of services until April 4.
However, this fight against the coronavirus cannot be fought with self-isolation and social distancing alone, as, when it comes to testing, Bangladesh is lagging behind.
So far, Bangladesh has been testing incoming migrants from highly affected countries, but we as of yet do not have a clear estimate of how many people are actually affected, as hospitals do not have the testing equipment necessary to do so.
Currently, only the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has the ability to test -- and this is nowhere near enough.
There could potentially be many in the country who are currently asymptomatic, but have no idea that they are carrying the virus and spreading it.
To battle this, testing facilities need to be available in more places across the country so that we can get a true idea of the extent to which the virus has spread in the country.
We have already made some crucial errors by not taking steps in time; however, the PM has thankfully assured us that there are more testing kits incoming in the future, which will go a long way towards getting a clear grasp of the situation.
However, the amount might not be enough, considering the immense size of the Bangladeshi population.
Bangladesh is already taking certain steps in this regard, by mobilizing efforts for early detection and case management, but this must be done post-haste.
If the virus spreads beyond control, our health care system will be overwhelmed, and there will be no controlling to what extent Covid-19 will spread.
