Coronavirus testing resumes in hospitals

In response to a recent rise in COVID-19 infections, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has decided to resume coronavirus testing at hospitals, though initially on a limited scale.

Professor Halimur Rashid, line director of the Communicable Disease Control (CDC) unit at the DGHS, confirmed the development to Prothom Alo on Wednesday.

He stated that testing will begin at medical colleges and district hospitals equipped with RT-PCR laboratories.

Although the current situation is not yet alarming, the incidence of COVID-19 is on the rise. One death was reported last Thursday. Public health experts are urging the government to enhance testing capacity and consider restarting vaccination to prevent a possible outbreak.

According to professor Rashid, the COVID-19 testing system is expected to be fully operational again within the next 10 days.

Initially, testing will resume at hospitals in Dhaka Medical College, Mugda General Hospital, and the medical colleges of Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barishal, Sylhet, and Mymensingh - facilities that have RT-PCR testing capabilities.

Data from the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) show that only one case of COVID-19 was detected in the last week of April, but the number rose to 25 by the final week of May.

Researchers at icddr,b have also identified a new COVID-19 variant, named XFG, alongside XFC. Both are subvariants of the JN.1 lineage, known for its high transmissibility.

While public health experts emphasise the need to stock adequate test kits in hospitals and health centres, the on-the-ground situation paints a different picture.

A survey by Prothom Alo found that Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital, and Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital - three of the capital’s major healthcare institutions - had no COVID-19 test kits available as of last Sunday.