Coronavirus fear grips Madaripur

Residents of the entire district of Madaripur are passing their days amid great panic following the detection of 10 COVID-19 patients here.

The bustling district town has become lifeless as all the business establishments were shut down on Tuesday afternoon to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus.

Besides, about 78,000 people in Shibchar upazila have been under lockdown since Friday last. They were not being allowed to come out of their residences in an effort to contain the virus.

Chief whip Liton Chowdhury distributed food items and medicines among 500 poor people in the areas under lockdown.

Meanwhile, a cleanliness drive was conducted in the town at the initiative of mayor of Madaripur municipality Kahlid Hossain when hot water and bleaching powder were sprayed at some roads to kill the germs.

The number of patients at different hospitals and clinics has decreased with the poor attendance of physicians.

Akhil Chandra, resident medical officer of sadar hospital, said he has started serving patients via mobile phone call as coronavirus can spread through sneezing and coughing of patients. “Now, I’m serving patients in day and night through mobile phone call,” he said.

According to hospital sources, 326 people are now in home-quarantine while three in isolation and three others to institutional quarantine.

Besides, 281 people were released on completion of the quarantine period.

Madaripur deputy commissioner Md Wahidul Islam said temporary camps were set up at Madaripur Girls High School as the army will start fieldwork in the district town and Shibchar upazila on Wednesday.