‘Contact IEDCR for accurate information on coronavirus’
Five Bangladeshi coronavirus patients are being treated in Singapore. One of them is in the intensive care unit. Five other Bangladeshis are also quarantined there
The Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) says people should not panic over rumors circulating on social media about coronavirus. Instead, they should contact the authorities for information on the disease, said Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora, director of the institute.
She made the comment on Wednesday at a press briefing on 'Covid 19', which is commonly known as coronavirus.
Dr Sabrina said, "We will provide you with the latest information, and recommend appropriate measures. There is not much concern about coronavirus outside China's Hubei province. So, those of us living outside China should not panic over it. But, still we are prepared as there is a risk."
She also said that the 312 people who returned from Wuhan province in China have been advised to limit their movement for 10 more days after they were released from the quarantine, and to inform the IEDCR about their health regularly.
The Bangladesh High Commission in Singapore says that five Bangladeshi coronavirus patients are being treated there. One of them is in the intensive care unit. Five other Bangladeshis have also been quarantined there.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said a Bangladeshi infected with the new coronavirus in Singapore is in critical condition.
Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan informed the Bangladeshi foreign minister about this over the phone on Wednesday.
Thanking Vivian Balakrishnan, AK Abdul Momen said that Singapore's medical facilities are much better than those in Bangladesh, and he has confidence in their treatment.
Eighty one people have been infected with the coronavirus so far In Singapore. Five of them are Bangladeshis, and are workers at the Seletar Aerospace Heights construction site in the city-state.
According to the IEDCR, 2,20,553 people entered Bangladesh through different ports from January 21 to February 19. The authorities have tested 75 of them whom they suspected might have the coronavirus infection, but so far none of them have tested positive to it.
The death toll from the new coronavirus in mainland China passed 2,000 on Wednesday, although the number of new cases fell for a second straight day. The authorities have tightened the already severe containment measures in the worst-hit city of Wuhan.
China's National Health Commission reported 1,749 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections on Tuesday, the lowest daily rise since January 29, while Hubei province - the epicentre of the outbreak - reported the lowest number of new infections since February 11.
