DGHS urges holidaymakers to return to Dhaka after 14 days

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on 16 May urged the Eid holidaymakers to return to the capital after 7-14 days if they do not have any urgency, UNB reports.

Speaking at a virtual press briefing, DGHS spokesperson Nazmul Islam issued a warning that there is no room for complacency in the declining trend in infection rate since Bangladesh is still in the middle of the second wave of Covid-19.

"The government advised us not to leave our respective dwellings (in cities) and stay there during this Eid. But we've seen, a large number of people went back to their village homes in various ways ignoring the advice," he said.

Nazmul said, "We humbly request those who've gone home to return at least 7-14 days later if their offices are not yet reopened and if they don't face any losses for being late."

Besides, he said, those who have Covid symptoms must undergo RT-PCR tests at the nearest health facilities.

Nazmul said those returning from India should not avoid the institutional quarantine. "Don't risk the lives of others by breaching the rules. We should not harm our country knowingly."

The DGHS spokesman said the lowest number of patients was detected on 15 May as the sample collection was low.

He said genome sequencing tests are being carried out at 20-26 laboratories every day to know the prevalence of different Covid variants in the country.