3 new coronavirus patients detected in Bangladesh: IEDCR

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Bangladesh on Monday announced detecting three new coronavirus patients and confirmed that the virus has started to transmit locally, UNB reports.

So far, the country has recorded eight cases.

Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Director Prof Meerjady Sabrina Flora revealed the information at a regular press briefing.

“In the last 24 hours, three of the 10 samples we tested were positive. One of the new patients is a family member of another patient who was infected earlier,” she said, confirming local transmission.

“Two of the three new patients are not from abroad. So, it’s clear that local transmission has started,” she said, adding that 10 people are still in isolation.

In a related development, the government has shut down all educational institutions for the rest of the month. The Dhaka University also announced to shut down from March 18 to 28 to prevent the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, the global coronavirus outbreak also forced suspension of Bangladesh cricket team’s scheduled Pakistan tour.