No new patient found with corona in Bangladesh: IEDCR

The Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has said no new coronavirus infected patient was identified in the country after the three, including two Italy-returnees who were tested positive on Sunday.

IEDCR also confirmed four Bangladeshis, who were diagnosed with early symptoms of coronavirus, were found free of coronavirus after further tests.

"We are advising the Bangladeshis, who are returning from the corona-hit countries, to stay in home quarantine for 14 days. And their family members and neighbours should help them to do so," IEDCR Director of Professor Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora said in a press briefing today at its Mohakhali office in the capital.

She also urged all not to disrespect the coronavirus suspected patients and their families. Not everyone coming from abroad are coronavirus infected, she also added.

After opening four hotline numbers, IEDCR received 509 calls within just one day, where 497 calls were related with the novel coronavirus.

Earlier, after detecting three confirmed coronavirus infected people in the country IEDCR opened hotline numbers, asking people to contact them if they develop symptoms similar to those of the coronavirus infection.

Apart from the existing four hotline numbers, people can contact IEDCR on 16263, Moreover, IEDCR will open eight more hotlines today, she added.

"The novel coronavirus has not spread alarmingly in Bangladesh yet. Not only the Health Ministry, all the ministries and common people should work together to fight against the deadly coronavirus," Dr Bardan Jung Rana, World Health Organization (WHO) country representative said.

Coronavirus has spread in 102 countries and infected 105,586 people and the death toll from the deadly virus has climbed to 3,584 till date, she said in the briefing quoting World Health Organisation.

Earlier on Sunday, IEDCR announced that three Bangladeshis, including two Italy-returnees, were tested positive with the novel coronavirus.

The coronavirus, believed to have originated late last year in a seafood market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan that was illegally selling wildlife, has spread to Chinese cities including Beijing and Shanghai, as well as at least 101 countries across the globe.