The health authorities have issued an alert for the land, sea and airports, ordering them to strengthen screening of inbound travellers for Covid-19 with a new omicron sub-variant found in China and India.
The sub-variant, BF.7, is causing a rise in infections, and the fear of an increase in cases heightens in Bangladesh if the sub-variant spreads in neighbouring countries, the Directorate General of Health Services said on Sunday.
The DGHS ordered the health authorities at the ports to conduct antigen tests on travellers if they are suspected to have been infected.
At a press conference, DGHS Additional Director General Ahmedul Kabir said Covid-19 infections were rising “at an extreme rate” across the world, reports bdnews24.com.
Citing World Health Organization data, he said 250 million people have been newly infected in China, a surge caused by BF.7, a lineage of omicron sub-variant BA.5.
BF.7 is four times more infectious than the previously found variant, according to Ahmedul.
“It has a very short incubation period, which means you’ll get infected quickly and spread it to four times more people than the usual number.”
The sub-variant poses greater risks to comorbid patients, diabetics, those aged above 60 and pregnant women, Ahmedul said, urging all to follow the health rules and get vaccines.
