Of the five coronavirus clusters in the country, two are in the capital city Dhaka. But the infected people in the city are not restricted to these two areas. The virus has spread to almost all areas of the city. Till Wednesday, the contagion was detected in 46 areas of the capital. Of the total number of identified patients in the country, 56 per cent are in Dhaka city.
Coronavirus has been detected in 22 districts of the country, including Dhaka. Till Wednesday, 218 COVID-19 patients had been detected in the country . Of them 123, that is 56.42 per cent, are residents of Dhaka city. These numbers were provided by the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control, and Research (IEDCR).
In order to contain the spread of the virus, the houses or lanes where coronavirus patients have been identified are being locked down. Till Wednesday night, according to police sources, 54 such spots were locked down in the city.
Outside of the capital city, till yesterday Narayanganj, Pirojpur, Satkhira, Cox’s Bazar, Narsingdi and Tangail were completely under lockdown. The residents of certain areas have locked down their localities on their own, too. However, it is not being possible to ensure complete lockdown in most places.
Of the 59 newly identified coronavirus cases on Wednesday, 39 are residents of the capital city. Till Sunday, the infection was detected in 29 areas of the city. By Tuesday this was upped to 42. On Wednesday the number of such areas stood at 46. The number of infected persons is relatively higher in Mirpur and Old Dhaka. There is also an increase of cases marked in upscale areas like Dhanmondi, Gulshan and Uttara.
Coronavirus was first detected in the country on 8 March. Three cases were detected at the time. In one month this went up to 218. Bangladesh is now in the fourth stage of the contagion. The government apprehends the situation will take a dangerous turn this month. The trend of the virus’ spread in the capital city indicates so.
27 in Mirpur
Till Monday, 17 patients had been detected in the greater Mirpur area. On Wednesday 10 more were identified in the area, bringing the number of infected people in Mirpur up to 27.
IEDCR had already identified Tolarbagh and Bashabo in Mirpur as clusters, meaning areas where there were many patients within relatively close proximity. In North Tolarbagh, two persons died of coronavirus, one on 21 March and the other on 22 March. Neither of them had travelled abroad or been in contact with anyone returning from abroad recently.
Till Tuesday, 7 persons in Tolarbagh had been confirmed to have coronavirus infection and another 3 were added on Wednesday, bringing the total up to 10.
Yesterday another 7 coronavirus patients were identified in Mirpur-1, bringing the total there up to 8. Two cases each were detected in Mirpur 10, 11 and Shah Alibagh, totaling 6. One each was detected in Kazipara, Mirpur-13 and Pirerbagh, that is, 3 in total there.
The police locked down Tolarbagh from 24 March and have also locked down 5 houses in Mirpur.
29 in Old Dhaka
Old Dhaka is a congested area of the capital city. Till Wednesday, 29 cases were detected in the old city. On Wednesday 6 new cases were detected in the area. Till yesterday, 9 were detected in Wari, 5 in Lalbagh, 3 in Sowarighat, 2 in Islampur, 2 in Babubazar, and I each in Hazaribagh, Urdu Road, Laxmibazar, Narinda, Kotwali and Bangshal.
Police have locked down Rankin Street and Bonogram in Wari.
Increase of cases in Mohammepur and Dhanmondi
The number of coronavirus cases in increasing in Dhanmondi. On Wednesday 4 new cases were found in Dhanmondi and Jigatola. So far 9 cases have been identified in Dhanmondi, 3 in Jigatola, 2 in Green Road and one each in Central Road, Shahbagh and BUET.
Till Tuesday, 8 cases were identified in the Mohammedpur area, 6 of them in Mohammedpur and 1 each in Adabor and Basila.
Increase in Uttara and Gulshan
On Monday the first coronavirus case was detected in Gulshan. On Wednesday another 5 were detected in the area, bringing the number there up to 6. In Uttara the total number of cases is 5.
There are 3 cases in Basundhara residential area, 2 in Tejgaon and 1 each in Nikunja, Ashkona and Mohakhali. There has been lockdowns in Nikunja, Badda and Basundhara.
No increase in Bashabo
Bashabo has 9 identified coronavirus cases and is under lockdown. No new cases have been identified there over the past few days.
Deputy commissioner (media and public relations), Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Masudur Rahman, told Prothom Alo said that when a building or area is in lockdown, no one can leave or enter the place. Only in emergencies, one person will be permitted to leave or enter and then go back into lockdown.
Other areas
Other than this, so far 5 cases have been identified in Jatrabari, 2 in Purana Paltan and 1 each in Baily Road, Eskaton, Maghbazar, Rampura, Shahjahanpur and Badda. An apartment building in Maghbazar was locked down on Wednesday, Another building in Maghbazar was previously placed under lockdown.
The officer-in-charge (OC) of Ramna police station, Monirul Islam, told Prothom Alo that there are around 20 to 50 flats in some apartment buildings. Physicians, bankers and other people who have to attend their work also live in such apartments. So even if the building is under lockdown, they cannot be prevented from coming and going.
Coronavirus was first detected in the country on 8 March. Three cases were detected at the time. In one month this went up to 218. Bangladesh is now in the fourth stage of the contagion. The government apprehends the situation will take a dangerous turn this month. The trend of the virus’ spread in the capital city indicates so.
* This report appeared in the print edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Ayesha Kabir