Covid infections will rise if events aren’t limited: Minister

Health Minister Zahid Maleque has warned that the Covid-19 infections will continue to rise if various programmes across the country are not limited soon.  

"We can't provide treatment to lakhs of people. No hospital, even no country has so many beds. The infections will increase if the events are not limited," said the minister at a discussion on occasions of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's birth centenary and National Children's Day at BSPC Auditorium in the capital on Wednesday.  

He claimed that approximately two million tourists have visited Chattogram, Rangamati, Cox's Bazar and other spots in the past one month, resulting in Covid-19 cases spike.

"Why is Covid-19 infection on the rise? In the last one month, 20 lakh people have gone to Chattogram and Rangamati. Millions of people have gone to Cox's Bazar without masks. Every union is hosting marriages every day. Millions of people are participating in weddings without masks," said the minister.

He also noted that taking one dose of vaccine will make people immune to Covid-19 is a false belief. "Two doses of vaccine are required to immunise the body for a certain period against Covid-19."

Zahid Maleque also apologised for the death of three Covid-19 ICU patients, who lost their lives while being evacuated after a fire broke out in the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

"The fire that broke out in the ICU unit of DMCH was caused by an electrical fault," he said.