With the spread of coronavirus in most countries of the world, the government has taken various steps, including closure of all educational institutions, to contain it as the virus is also stretching its tentacles towards Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, some 143 people have been kept at home quarantine in Cumilla, Khulna and Rajbari of greater Faridpur district, most of whom are expatriates.
Our Cumilla Correspondent says, Some103 people from various places in Cumilla district have been placed in the home quarantine on suspicion of having coronavirus. This information was confirmed on Monday morning (March 16) by Cumilla District Civil Surgeon Dr. Neatuzzaman.
Local sources said all of the people at the home quarantine are expatriates. They came from different countries of the world, including Italy, Dubai, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Oman.
Meanwhile, there are allegations that many in the home quarantine disobey government instructions. By disobeying the instructions, many are moving from one place to another. But the district civil surgeon said if they violate government instructions, action would be taken against them.
According to local sources, six people were kept at home quarantine in the last one week in Homna upazila of the district. All of them returned home from abroad. However, many of them do not follow government directives They are moving freely from one place to another, claiming themselves virus- free.
According to sources at the HomonaUpazila Health Complex, six of the home quarantined people in this upazila returned from European and Middle East countries. One of them from Italy, two are from Dubai, one from Kuwait, one from Saudi Arabia and one is an Oman expatriate.
Homna Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Abdus Salam Sikder said they are all in good health. Each of them came home after check- up in Bangladesh and abroad. We still kept them in the home quarantine.
Cumilla District Civil Surgeon DrNeatuzzaman said everyone at the home quarantine has been advised to adhere to health instructions. If anyone disobeys the rules, the administration will take necessary action against him.
Our Khulna Correspondent writes: Eight overseas returnees have been placed at home quarantine They have recently returned home from Singapore, Oman and India.
Khulna Civil Surgeon Dr. Sujat Ahmed confirmed the information on Monday morning at a press conference.
Among the expatriates at the home quarantine, there are 2(old) and one new in the Tarkhada Upazila of Khulna who recently returned from Singapore. Besides, there are two people in Dacope upazila of Khulna. One is from Oman and the other is from India. One in Dighaia Upazila, who returned from Italy and two locals in Dumuria. They have been placed at the home quarantine on suspicion of having coronavirus.
Khulna Civil Surgeon directed the expatriates to stay at their homes. All of them tested negative for corona virus. They also have been prohibited from going out of their homes for next 14 days.
"No corona virus patient has so far been detected in Khulna. We are advising all not to be panicked and maintain the health directives to remain safe from corona virus. The corona unit and isolation wards in hospitals were vacant in the district. All types of preparations have been taken to prevent the Corona virus in Khulna", added Khulna Civil Surgeon.
Our Rajshahi Correspondent adds: While an all out preparation to check the spread of Corona Virus has been taken jointly by the department of Health, Civil Surgeon and the authorities of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, the authorities of Rajshahi City Corporation are yet to take any step in this connection.
Though on Wednesday last Mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation AHM Khairuzzaman Liton organised a meeting with the ward councillors and the officials of RCC to find a way out to check the Corona Virus spread, no field level activity to raise awareness in this regard is yet visible in the city.
Even, the large political parties including Awami League and the social organisations have no programme about taking any precautionary measure to check spread of the virus in the city or the surrounding upazilas of the district.
Dr. Kausar Alam, former Professor of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital said a united effort is urgently necessary to create awareness among the city people about Corona Virus. Since the Virus has been detected in the country, the people should be aware to maintain health and hygiene and to avoid public gathering and travel on public transport as soon as possible.
AFM Anjuman Ara Begum, Chief Health Officer of Rajshahi City Corporation in this connection said on March11, a meeting was held with all ward councillors, officials and staff of RCC where RCC Mayor AHM Khairuzzman Liton attended as the chief guest. Decision was taken in the meeting to take immediate step to create public awareness to stop spread of the virus. RCC Mayor also directed all concerned officials and activists to keep the city clean and to maintain proper health and hygiene.
Nuruzzaman Tuku, Councillor of ward-6 and President of standing committee of Health of RCC admitted the failure of taking any step to create mass-awareness in the city about the danger of the virus and how to take precautionary measure to get rid of it.
Political leaders including the former Mayor of RCC and President of Rajshahi Metropolitan Unit of BNP has said, they have started an awareness creating programme on Corona virus among the party insiders, so far, they have no programme with mass people in this regard.
Doublew Sarker, General Secretary of Rashahi City Unit of Awami League said the party leaders and activists were taking preparation to reach the doorsteps of mass people to make people aware of the virus and check spread of Corona virus. He called upon the people and all political and social organisations to cooperate the government to work unitedly to get rid of such an alarming situation.
Our Faridpur Correspondent states: The common people of Rajbari are panicked over the Corona virus, but they are also unaware of the disease.
However, it is reported that the expatriates are traveling everywhere. In Baliyakandi upazila, families back from neighbouring country India are visiting the market at will. Their children are going to school.
A school teacher from India and a returnee from Italy said, "Tell me what to do." We are going out when it is necessary. We also know that we have to stay in quarantine for 14 days. However, we were tested at the airport when returning from abroad. They did not find any problem.
On the condition of anonymity, many people said, "We are in an imminent danger as expatriates are around us." They are reluctant to abide by the govt instructions.
Civil Surgeon Dr Nurul Islam said that five isolation centres have been opened in the health centres of five upazilas in Rajbari recently and 12 persons from abroad have been kept at home quarantine till now.
Meanwhile, Our Sylhet Correspondent adds: Three suspected patients with fever have been kept under observation at the Quarantine Unit at the Shahid Dr. Shamsuddin Hospital (Sadar hospital) in the Sylhet city. They include a student of a private university while the others are expatriates.
Deputy Director at the Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital Dr. Himangshu Lal Roy told this correspondent one of the expatriates was at the government hospital quarantine for the last two days after he was referred from a private hospital in the city. He has also been suffering cardiac problems. The other patient with fever had also visited another European country recently, the official said.
It is apprehended that the varsity student suffering from fever might have got affected with the virus after he had been in touch with one of his relatives, who had returned home from abroad, the official added.
The previous decision for sending blood samples of the three to the IEDCR, Dhaka today (Monday) has been cancelled since their condition was found almost normal, Dr Himangshu said. They may be released after two days, he added.
However, another male expatriate from Dubai and a woman from Saudi Arabia were released from quarantine at the same hospital last week as the blood tests gave negative results, added the health official.
Meanwhile UNB adds: a mobile court in Manikganj on Sunday fined a Saudi Arabia returnee Tk 10,000 for violating rules of home quarantine amid a global coronavirus outbreak.
Lal Miah, 40, son of Taru Miah, is a resident of Brammonbari village of Saturia upazila.
The government has made it compulsory for Bangladeshis returning from abroad to undergo 14-day quarantine.
Lal Miah went out of his house during his quarantine period.
A mobile court, led by Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Executive Magistrate Ashraful Alam, fined him around 6pm.
The incident will serve as a warning for other returnees, many of whom are reportedly roaming around without completing quarantine.
Meanwhile, the Chittagong University authorities sent six people, including two of its students and an Italy returnee, to quarantine early Monday.
They are - Italy returnee Dastagir Hossain Mahfuz, hailing from Brahmanbaria, Sirajum Munir Durjoy, CU students Rana and Joy and Comilla Medical College students Saiful Islam and Ibrahim Khalil.
CU Proctor Ahsanul Kabir Palash said they raided room number 320 of Shaheed Abdur Rab Hall around 2am after learning that an Italy returnee was staying there.
"They were immediately sent to Fauzdarhat Isolation Centre for quarantine," he said, adding that the university will take action against the student who brought Mahfuz to the hall.
CU source said Mahfuz returned home on March 5 and directly went to the university along with his friends without any checkup at airport. They were planning to visit Sajek of Rangamati.
The news spread panic among students at the university, many of whom took to Facebook to express their concerns.
