Barishal authorities advised to suspend road communications with Khulna: DGHS

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has recommended the suspension of road communications between Barishal and Khulna divisions, to prevent the transmission of coronavirus, UNB reports.

Presenting the Covid-19 infection rates and other data in the southern districts, the recommendation to snap links with Khulna was made to the Barishal divisional commissioner, said the divisional health director Basudeb Kumar Das.

Covid-19 infection rate in Barishal division is still very low, in contrast to the situation in Khulna division, which is seen as alarming.

Already people in Jashore, Bagerhat and Khulna districts have confirmed infections with the highly infectious Delta variant first spotted in India. The death rate is also higher than other divisions in Khulna.

Basudeb said the same three districts were directly connected to Barishal division by road. The virus could transmit to the division through the people travelling between the two divisions if road communications remain unrestricted.

Risk of virus spread could be reduced if some restrictions could be placed on the passenger and freight movement from Khulna into Barishal.

Basudeb further said that a proposal was submitted in this regard and the divisional commissioner office committee to prevent coronavirus would decide whether to implement it or not.

According to the DGHS report, so far in Barisal division, 16,056 people were infected of which 14,326 people have recovered and 290 people died.