Coronavirus victim not tested for lack of kits: Physician

The person who died in a private hospital of the capital's Mirpur after testing positive for COVID-19, was not an overseas returnee, said a physician of the hospital.

The physician also told Prothom Alo that no one of the 73-year-old's family had recent travel history.

He added that the patient first underwent treatment at a Kalyanpur hospital on Tuesday. But when no signs of improvement appeared, the patient was sent to the ICU (intensive care unit) of the Mirpur hospital around 5:00pm on 17 March.

A chest specialist first feared that the person might be infected with the coronavirus infection. The hospital authorities contacted the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research to collect samples of the patient.

But, the IEDCR authorities refused to collect samples saying that the patient did not have any recent foreign travel history or contact with any foreign returnee. They also cited shortage of kits as a reason for not collecting the sample, the physician claimed.

The IEDCR tested the patient only after pressure from some high government officials, said the physician.

The patient was confirmed positive for the COVID-19 on Friday.

Deputy commissioner of Mirpur zone police Mostak Ahmed told Prothom Alo that a house was quarantined in Mirpur’s Tolarbagh area upon direction of IEDCR after the death of a resident of the house.

Other residents there are not leaving the house, he said adding the man was buried at Mirpur’s martyred intellectual graveyard following the directions of IEDCR.

He said they are not aware of any foreign travel history of the deceased or family members.

The deceased was a retired person.