CUMILLA, Mar 15: About 92 people from various places in the district have been placed in home quarantine on suspicion of having coronavirus.
This information was confirmed by Cumilla District Civil Surgeon Dr Md Neatuzzaman on Sunday.
Civil surgeon said, "We are collecting data from the whole district everyday and publish it later. So far, we have placed 92 people in the home quarantine in 17 upazilas and one city corporation area.
Samples have been sent to Dhaka for examination. However, none of them are patients. They came back to Bangladesh from different countries.
Therefore, they are initially suggested to be placed on the list of suspicions and warned about mingling with others.
The identities of the people in the home quarantine have been kept secret.
Meanwhile, India has banned visas to Bangladeshis to prevent the spread of coronavirus. However, import and export with India continues even though visas are suspended. Regular export-import activities between Bangladesh and India are being continued at the Bibir Bazar Land Port.
At Cumilla's Bibir Bazar port, it was found that good-laden trucks were entering India from Bangladesh and trucks from India are entering Bangladesh with goods.
Subhas Chandra Majumder, customs officer of Bibir Bazar land port, said usual export-import trade is going on.
He said Bangladeshi people who are stranded in India have no barrier to return home.
Besides, the Health Department has prepared 100-bed Isolation Unit at various hospitals in Cumilla district for combating coronavirus.
In addition, 19 medical teams have been constituted to provide services to people suffering from coronavirus. Each medical team has one senior doctor (medicine), one junior doctor (medicine), two nurses, one midwife and one cleaner.
According to sources, there are two land ports at Bibir Bazar of Cumilla and Akhaura of Brahmanbaria in the adjoining district. India's borders are over hundreds of kilometers around Cumilla district. Everyday, people of India are entering Bangladesh through legal and illegal means. Coronavirus infection has spread in India already.
According to the sources, 20 beds have been prepared at Cumilla Medical College Hospital, 10 beds at Cumilla General Hospital and four beds at upazila health complexes in Cumilla for the treatment of coronavirus-affected patients.
Cumilla District Civil Surgeon Dr Md Nituzzaman said, "We do not know the exact details of any patient suffering from coronavirus in Cumilla till now." However, one person has been reported to have symptoms of the virus. He was in exile. The medical team is conducting his tests. If he is infected with coronavirus, he will be sent to the IEDCR in Dhaka.
Director of Cumilla Medical College Hospital Dr Md Mujibur Rahman said the Isolation Unit has been opened at Cumilla Medical College Hospital for patients suffering from coronavirus. Initially 20 beds have been provided for this unit. If needed, we will increase the beds more by considering later. So far, no patient has been admitted to Cumilla.
Dr Md Mujibur Rahman said the necessary equipment for doctors and nurses are yet to reach the hospital.
Our Bogura correspondent writes: Some 30 coronavirus suspected patients coming from abroad have been kept at home quarantine as they are suffering from a cough and severe illness.
The authority concerned urged locals to be conscious about coronavirus (Covid-19) by creating awareness. They also suggested taking services from nearby health centres or hospitals.
The suspected are: Md Hafizar Rahman, Nurjahan and Munira Khatun of Bogura Sadar upazila; Bablu in Sariakandi; Lokman Hossain and Samsun Nahar under Shibganj upazila; Tania Khatun, Habibul Hossain, Niva Khatun, Halim Ahmed, Sajib, Liton Hossain, Rafiqul Hossain, Ekram Hossain and Hasna Banu of Nandigram upazila; Belal Hossain, Harun-or-Rashid, Sufol Changra, Bitul Mia and Md Zahangir Alam from Sonatola upazila; and Azizul Haque of Gabtoly upazila.
Sources said they came from different countries, like Italy, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Singapore and India.
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