Patient counts go down at Covid-19 hospital 

The number of Covid-19 patients admitted to Covid-19 hospitals across the country has been downward over the past two weeks and the general beds and ICUs allotted for Covid-19 patients have started to become vacant.

According to the latest data released by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Thursday, Dhaka Medical College and Hospital has 245 vacant beds out of 705. However, none of the 20 Covid-19 ICUs beds is vacant here.

Besides, there are 8,335 vacant general Covid-19 beds out of 12,265 beds in public and private hospitals across the country. And, out of 1,084 ICUs in the country, 459 are vacant.

Some ambulance drivers in front of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital told The Business Standard that they used to get 5-7 trips daily two weeks ago, which decreased and there has been no trip for the last 2-3 days.

Dr Mohammad Mushtuq Husain, an advisor to the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), told The Business Standard that as per the epidemiology theories, infections are likely to decrease after a certain period, which is being noticed across the country. As a result, fewer people are going to the hospital.

Right and timely decisions and proper management of the government have helped to get such good results. People deserve thanks too as they have endured a lot, however, they have to be made aware so that they continue this and remain at home for some more time, he added.

To maintain this downward trend of infection, it is necessary to think in advance about the management of the upcoming Eid-ul-Eid and animal haats before Eid-ul-Azha. Religious institutions should also be kept free from public gatherings along with tourist centres and socio-political events, he said further.

Dr Mushtuq suggested that the government ensures that people with emergency needs get service in time. 

In various Covid-19 hospitals in the capital, out of 5,644 beds, more than 2,000 beds are vacant, and 328 beds are vacant of 769 ICUs for Covid-19 patients.

However, in the first week of April, 3,122 patients were admitted to these hospitals in Dhaka against a total of 3,550 beds.

At that time, all the Covid-19 hospitals in the capital had only 428 beds. And out of 305 ICUs in Dhaka, only 20 were vacant.

Dr Shagufa Anwar, chief of communications and business development at United Hospital, told The Business Standard that the situation was no longer the same as it was in early April. A fewer number of patients have been admitted in the last 10 days. In our hospital, 60% of beds are occupied.

Experts concerned said that the number of patients is comparatively low in the hospitals in the countryside.

Dr Md Selim Mia, Civil Surgeon, Netrokona, told The Business Standard that our Covid-19 unit has 36 beds but only one patient is admitted.

More people are wearing masks than before. Besides, it has been possible to curb the infection with the sincere cooperation of everyone including the administration and businessmen. In the district, only two patients were tested positive after testing samples of 63 people on Wednesday, he added.