No COVID tests outside Dhaka amid nationwide kit shortage

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has prioritised the procurement of COVID-19 detection kits. Efforts are underway to source kits from international organisations and domestic suppliers. The DGHS has already received a limited number of kits, according to official sources.

On Tuesday, DGHS director general professor Abu Zafar told Prothom Alo that the International Red Crescent Society had provided 28,000 rapid detection kits the previous day in response to urgent needs. An additional 10,000 RT-PCR kits were expected to arrive on Wednesday.

Professor Abu Zafar also said that the DGHS has requested 100,000 RT-PCR kits and 500,000 rapid detection kits from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. In parallel, the agency is engaging with several private companies that previously supplied kits to the government. Discussions have also been held with the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka.

According to the DGHS Integrated Control Room, 101 samples were tested across the country in the last 24 hours until Tuesday morning. Of these, 13 were confirmed positive for COVID-19. All 101 samples were from Dhaka city, indicating that no testing is currently being conducted outside the capital.

Despite this, COVID-19 infections have been reported in several districts over the past week. One patient in Dhaka city has died from the virus.

Cox’s Bazar civil surgeon Mahmudul Haque told Prothom Alo that three cases have been detected in the district this month, including one from a Rohingya camp. While RT-PCR testing is available in Cox’s Bazar, there are no rapid test kits.

In Chattogram, three infections were confirmed in the last 10 days. Although RT-PCR testing is available at the Medical College Hospital, rapid test kits are also unavailable in the district.

The office of the divisional director informed Prothom Alo that no COVID test kits are currently available in any district of Barishal Division. The Civil Surgeon’s Office in Sylhet also confirmed a complete lack of testing kits.

Public health expert Mushtaq Hossain told Prothom Alo that the available data suggests rising infection rates.

“If the infection spreads faster and further, it will increase the risk,” he said. “Measures must be taken at the individual, community, and state levels to curb transmission.”

Professor Abu Zafar noted that the WHO has not yet issued any special alerts. However, as infections are reportedly rising in neighbouring India, Bangladesh has adopted a cautious stance.

Sources said senior DGHS officials held virtual meetings on COVID-19 on 2, 4, 6, and 8 June. The DGHS has instructed all civil surgeons and government medical college hospitals in each district to prepare accordingly. Authorities are also reviewing hospital oxygen supply systems and planning for possible vaccination if the situation demands it.

The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) has reported that 3.1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, specifically Pfizer, remain in stock. Of those, more than 1.7 million doses are set to expire by 5 August. These vaccines had been distributed to various districts over the past two months.

Professor Abu Zafar, director general of the DGHS, told Prothom Alo that the Pfizer vaccines currently in stock were designed for the original strain of the coronavirus.

Questions have since arisen regarding their effectiveness against the variant now spreading in Bangladesh. A technical committee is being formed to evaluate this issue and determine the appropriate course of action.

The current wave is being driven by JN.1, a subvariant of Omicron variant of coronavirus. Public health experts say this variant is comparatively mild, but the risk of transmission in the country has grown due to recent public gatherings during the Eid holidays.

Crowds thronged cattle markets, buses, trains, launches, and tourist spots as people travelled from cities to rural areas—creating high-risk conditions for viral spread.

The first COVID-19 case in Bangladesh was detected on 8 March, 2020. Since then, the virus has officially claimed 29,500 lives in the country. From the start of the pandemic, public health experts have stressed the importance of maintaining basic hygiene and safety protocols.

Yesterday, both DGHS director general professor Abu Zafar and public health expert Mushtaq Hossain reiterated the need to follow health guidelines.

They advised the public to wear masks, avoid large gatherings, wash hands frequently with soap or use hand sanitiser, and self-isolate if experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath.