COVID-19 cases in Rajshahi division cross 3000

With detection of 192 more positive cases in seven districts on Wednesday, the total number of COVID-19 patients in Rajshahi division climbed to 3,122, said a COVID-19 quarantine and isolation related daily report on Thursday, reports news agency BSS.

Of the total newly reported cases, 118 were detected in Bogura district only, taking its total number of reported cases to 1,820, the highest among all eight districts in the division.

Divisional director of health Gopendra Nath Acharya said 35 more people were tested positive for COVID-19 in Pabna followed by 20 in Rajshahi and six each in Chapainawabganj, Natore and Sirajganj districts.

With the new patients, the district-wise cases now stood at 176 in Rajshahi, 86 in Chapainawabganj, 221 in Naogaon, 96 in Natore, 238 in Joypurhat, 1,820 in Bogura, 238 in Sirajganj and 247 in Pabna districts.

Of the total patients, 661 have, so far, recovered from the highly infectious lung disease with 39 fatalities including 23 in Bogura while 449 others were undergoing treatment in hospitals in the division till Thursday morning.

Following detection of new COVID-19 cases, the respective houses of the infected persons were placed on 14-day lockdown.

Gopendra Nath also said the persons, who came in contact with COVID-19 patients, were asked to remain in home isolation so that the virus cannot spread further.

He said all the positive cases for COVID-19 have, so far, been brought under necessary treatment while 893 others are being monitored in isolation units in different hospitals under institutional supervision. Another 520 were released.

On the other hand, a total of 253 more people have been sent to home and institutional quarantine afresh as part of the efforts to bring all the suspected patients under quarantine while 407 others were released in all eight districts of the division over the last 24 hours till 8:00am today.

Among the newly quarantined people, three have been kept under home isolation in Chapainawabganj, 50 in Naogaon, six in Natore, 22 in Joypurhat, 92 in Bogura, 12 in Sirajganj and 68 in Pabna districts.

With this, the number of total quarantined people in both home and institutions stood at 4,438 at present. A total of 43,493 people had, so far, been kept under quarantine since 10 March to prevent community transmission of coronavirus disease, COVID-19.

Of them, 39,055 have, by now, been released after their 14-day quarantine period in the division.

Divisional director Gopendra Nath added that utmost emphasis has been given to bring all the suspected patients under quarantine, isolation and testing to contain the community transmission of the virus.

Meanwhile, 72,078 personal protective equipment (PPE) have, so far, been distributed among the frontline healthcare workforces to handle the COVID-19 pandemic through protecting themselves from the virus infection.

There are 42,413 more PPE in stock for distribution.

A total of 935 physicians and 1,669 nurses have been working in 190 public and private hospitals in the division. Around 1,914 beds, out of the total 4,899, have been prepared for treatment of the possible COVID-19 infected patients.

There are arrangements of 462 beds in isolation units and 19 ambulances for emergency transportation of the infected patients.