June becomes the second deadliest month

Bangladesh has registered 1,434 deaths from Covid-19 in the first 26 days of this month, which is higher than that recorded at the peak of the first wave in June last year and second only to that of April this year. 

According to data provided by the health directorate, the novel coronavirus caused 1,264 deaths in June 2020 while the figure was 2,404 at the peak of the second wave in April last.

This June, however, is the first time that the infection rate has gone alarmingly high outside Dhaka, especially in rural areas.

Health experts think the two weeks before the forthcoming Eid-ul-Azha are very critical.

If the positivity rate cannot be brought down during the countrywide strict lockdown to be in force from Monday, the Covid-19 situation in the country will be worse than in India, they warn.

Referring to the fact that infections are currently spreading all over the country at the same rate unlike in the first two waves when the infection rate was highest in the capital Dhaka, Professor Nazrul Islam, noted virologist and member of the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19, told The Business Standard that the risk is much higher this time around.

"Infections have spread all over the country from the bordering districts. We have a big festival ahead. In addition to the Eid-centric movement, markets of sacrificial animals are also likely to cause a rise in the positivity rate. If the positivity rate does not decrease, the death rate will also go up."

One and a half years into the outbreak of Covid-19, people have not been taught to wear facemasks; they have just been requested, complained Prof Nazrul.

The situation would not have turned worse, if the police or volunteers had been given the responsibility to make people wear masks compulsorily, he added.

"Now a crisis period is going on. To break the infection chain right away by stopping the movement of people, we have to increase testing during the lockdown and ensure quarantine and isolation."

Meanwhile, the district hospital in Jhenaidah is suffering from a crisis of oxygen. Prof Nazrul termed this crisis as "alarming".

Bangladesh on Saturday set another grim record as the country's death toll from Covid-19 crossed the 14,000-mark.

With 77 new deaths in the past 24 hours, the coronavirus death toll in the country reached 14,053, according to the Covid-19 bulletin issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Meanwhile, 4,334 people tested positive in the last 24 hours, out of 19,844 samples tested during the period.

At the same time, the positivity rate went up to 22.50%, which is the highest since 16 April this year when the rate was 23.36%.

Preparations of the government

One and a half years have passed since the outbreak of the coronavirus in the country. Every time the infection rate increases, a crisis of beds, ICUs are seen at hospitals.

To control infections, the number of testing labs has been raised from 1 to 500, central oxygen plants have been set up at 150 hospitals and the number of general beds and ICU beds at the hospitals has been increased by 13,000 and 600, respectively.

Even then, the authorities struggled to deal with the situation every time when the infection rate turned severe.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Saturday said, "We have taken appropriate measures to deal with the coronavirus. We have increased the number of doctors and nurses in the districts where the number of patients has increased. The number of beds has been raised and adequate oxygen has been provided. But, everything has its limitations. If 1,000 patients come to a 250-bed district hospital, it will be difficult to handle the situation."

Thrust on proper implementation of lockdown

The government has announced a seven-day strict lockdown across the country, starting 1 July, to curb the Covid-19 transmission.

A general lockdown will be effective from 28 June. 

The decision was made in a meeting Saturday night. 

"Initially the lockdown will be imposed for seven days, which may be extended further depending on the Covid-19 situation," said State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain.

The state minister also said, "Police and the Border Guard of Bangladesh (BGB) will ensure strict enforcement of the lockdown and the army may also be deployed."

Dr M Mushtuq Husain, adviser at the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control & Research (IEDCR) said if the chain of transmission is not broken now, the number of patients will grow at a geometric rate.

He, however, said the infection will be reduced, if the lockdown that is coming from Monday is strictly implemented. "Earlier, we saw that movement curbs helped reduce infections. If the lockdown is implemented, the infection rate will come down after two weeks and the death rate will fall after three weeks."

Meanwhile, people are rushing to leave Dhaka and other cities to go to their hometowns ahead of the strict lockdown, which has increased the risk of further escalating the infection rate.

Dr M Mushtuq Husain said people need to cooperate with the authorities to implement the lockdown properly. "Due to our socio-economic realities, temporary workers do not have the opportunity to stay in Dhaka. It is not possible for the government alone to take the responsibility for them. Wealthy people of society, NGOs, ward residents - all should come forward to help the lower-income people."

'Police to be stricter in enforcing lockdown'

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Shafiqul Islam on Friday said the police will be even stricter than last time in enforcing the new lockdown as soon as it comes into effect.

"This time police will not exempt anyone for violating lockdown restrictions and hygiene rules," he told the media.

He noted that many people went out on the streets with various excuses during the last lockdown. "But this time it will not be allowed," he added.

The DMP Commissioner said that there will be police checkpoints at every turn and no one will be able to pass them without proper cause.

"This time, the police will work hard from the field to curb the spread of coronavirus infection," he said, adding that those who go out without acceptable excuses will be sent home after legal actions are taken against them.

How will industries operate?

Leaders of the apparel industry owners' associations have said their factories will remain open under special arrangements, amid the strict lockdown.

Mohammad Hatem, first vice-president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), said the cabinet secretary had ensured that the industrial plants would be kept open in compliance with the hygiene norms. However, the secretary had instructed them to limit the movement of people, he added.

Mohammad Shahidullah Azim, vice president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said they had told the cabinet secretary that if factories are kept closed at the moment, chaos could escalate as all workers may start rushing towards their villages.

He also mentioned that about 90% of the garment factory workers live in the vicinity of the factories they work at.

"In the interest of keeping the economy afloat, we also requested (the cabinet secretary) to keep the industrial factories open by allowing the movement of goods carrying vans. He also assured us, but we are awaiting official instructions from the government."