Two with ‘coronavirus symptoms’ die in Barishal

Two persons with apparently coronavirus symptoms died at Barishal's Sher-e-Bangla Medical College (SBMC) on Sunday, reports news agency UNB.

The deceased were identified as Jakir Hossain, a resident of Patuakhali, and Niru Begum, 45, wife of Md Dulal of Puranpara in the city.

It is unclear whether their samples were collected for COVID-19 tests.

Niru was the first one to die at the Corona Unit of SBMC in the small hours of Sunday. Jakir's death was reported about eight hours later.

SBMC director Md Bakir Hossain said Niru's relatives rushed her to emergency around 11:45pm.

He suggested them to take the patient to Corona Unit of the hospital after hearing her symptoms. She died there around 12:05am.

She had been suffering from diarrhoea and was taken for treatment at Barisal General Hospital around three days ago.

She returned home after recovery but fell sick again with fever, pain in the throat and asthma. She also had diabetes and high blood pressure, the doctor said quoting relatives.

The relatives took the body home soon after her death.

Six patients with symptoms of coronavirus were admitted to SBMC since last night. Doctors said the hospital lacks any equipment to test coronavirus infection.

Coronavirus, first reported in China in December last year, has spread to 199 countries and territories around the world and two international conveyances.

It has infected 663,741 people globally and killed 30,880 of them so far -- a mortality rate of 18 per cent, according to Worldometers.info. But 142,183 of the patients have recovered while 490,678 are undergoing treatment. Of them, 25,207 patients are in critical condition.

Bangladesh has so far confirmed 48 COVID-19 cases and five deaths. The country has tested 1,068 samples till date.