Four more die of COVID-19, 139 fresh cases detected

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Bangladesh today reported four more deaths from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) overnight, raising the death toll to 34 and recorded the highest number of 139 fresh positive cases in a single day since the virus was first detected on March 8.

“Four more COVID-19 patients died in the last 24 hours, while the number of coronavirus cases has stood at 621 as 139 more people have been infected by the lethal virus during the time,” IEDCR Director Prof Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora told a virtual media briefing at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in the city by joining it online.

Additional Director General (ADG) of DGHS Prof Dr Sania Tahmina also addressed the briefing.

Flora said with the detection of fresh 139 cases in the last 24 hours, the number of coronavirus cases has surged to 621 in the country, adding 298 of them were found in Dhaka.

Among 621 COVID-19 cases, she said, 50 percent infected people are in Dhaka city, while 35 percent patient are in different districts of Dhaka division and six percent in Chattogram division.

The IEDCR director said of the 139 fresh cases, 96 are male and 43 female, adding 62 are in Dhaka city and rests are in outside Dhaka city.

Four fresh districts have been included in the COVID-19-infected list, Flora said adding the districts are Lakshmipur, Lalmonirhat, Thakurgaon and Jhalokathi.

“Analyzing the infected history of virus in the four districts, we have found that infected-people came from Dhaka and Narayanganj within a week. So we’re urging the people not to travel from one place to another place and stay at home to protect themselves from infection of the disease,” she added.

The IEDCR director said they detected 139 cases in the 24 hours after testing 1340 samples, which are highest in a single day since conformation of COVID-19 cases in the country.

Of the four deaths, two are between 19 to 40 age while one in his 60s and one in his 70s. Two are in Dhaka and other two fatalities are outside Dhaka, Flora added.

Sania said as the number of COVID-19 infected case is on the rise in the country, the government has intensified its efforts including collection of protective equipment such PPE, surgical masks alongside increasing medical facilities for coronavirus-infected patients.

She said the government has so far collected nearly 7 lakh PPE, and of them, 4,68,442 PPE were distributed at different hospitals of the country, while the remaining are on the stock.

Sania said the government has taken decision to expand sample tests of suspected COVID-19 cases to determine that how many people are infected by the virus in the country.

“For this, we’re providing training to medical professionals including health workers up to union level to collect samples linked to coronaviris for quick detection of the disease,” she added.

Sania said over 70,000 people were kept at both home and institutional quarantine, and at present around 20,000 people have been kept quarantine as rests were released after medical clearance.

She said till today, over 21, 34, 629 people received healthcare services from hotline mobile numbers and health web portals as the government formed a group of medical professionals to provide emergency health services.

The contact hotline and mobile numbers are 16263; 333; 10655 and 01944333222 – to receive information and treatment facilities on Covid-19.