China returnees to be released from quarantine centre today

All the Bangladeshis, who returned from China on February 1, will be released from Ashkona quarantine centre today after their second screening test, said Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) authorities.

"All the returnees will be under IEDCR's observation even after release," IEDCR Director Professor Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora said in a media briefing held at its office in the capital.

IEDCR will also provide face masks and other essential materials to the China returnees, she added.

After filling a screening form they will get released from quarantine as all of them are in good health and declared free of coronavirus after 14-day quarantine, the IEDCR Director said further.

The government has set up a quarantine zone at Hajj Camp at the capital's Ashkona area to keep the returnees from China under observation as the coronavirus is infectious and takes about 14 days for showing up any symptoms on the victims.

The returnees were tested upon arrival and are being monitored by physicians at the camp regularly.

A charter flight of Biman Bangladesh landed in Dhaka airport 314 Bangladeshis, including 15 children, from the coronavirus-struck Wuhan city of China on February 1. Later the passengers were taken to Hajj camp in Ashkona, where they are currently quarantined.

Coronavirus has so far spread to 28 countries. The total of confirmed infections across epicentre China is now 66,492 after 2,641 new cases were confirmed, as of Friday.  The death toll rose by 143 to 1,523 till date.