One corona patient cured, released from hospital: IEDCR

One of the three Bangladeshis infected with the novel coronavirus has been cured and released from hospital, the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) said on Friday.

"Two of our patients have tested negative, so they are not infected with coronavirus anymore. Another patient's test is still due so we cannot declare the person cured yet," said IEDCR Director Prof Meerjady Sabrina Flora at a press briefing.

One of the cured coronavirus patients has been voluntarily staying at the hospital as the person's family members are in home quarantine, said the IEDCR director.

"According to the World Health Organization, infected patients should be tested twice. They can be declared cured if the results come negative both times," said Prof Meerjady.

She further said that 24 people have been tested for coronavirus in the last 24 hours. With that, 187 people have been tested in total in Bangladesh, but none of them tested positive.

Meanwhile, to ensure smooth operation of health screening of all in-bound passengers at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh on Friday formed a special taskforce comprising several groups.

Each taskforce will be comprised of 20 Ansar members, five supervisors and two inspectors.

The taskforce will supervise the health screening activities at the airport round the clock, said Group Captain AHM Touhid-ul Ahsan, who has been made the chief of the taskforce.

Earlier on Friday, a Bangladeshi man coming from abroad was sent to quarantine at the Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital from the Shahjalal Airport.

Touhid-Ul-Ahsan, also the director of the airport, said the passenger had high fever when he arrived at the airport.

The authorities did not disclose any further information about his identity.

At the press briefing, Prof Meerjady further said people coming from abroad have been requested to remain in self-quarantine. Their families, neighbours and friends have been requested to help them. Otherwise, they will be punished according to the law of the country.

Commenting on the global situation of the pandemic, she said, "China's situation has been brought quite under control.

"Those who work in the Middle East do not need any health certificates to go to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi High Commission said they should go by direct flights without taking any transit," she added.

According to the IEDCR, Middle Eastern and other countries have assured that they will extend the work permit and visa for migrant workers. So those who work in these countries need not worry.

The disease control authority also said elderly people or those suffering from long term diseases should remain careful and people coming from abroad should stay at home for 14 days.

DU discourages its foreign students from coming to Bangladesh

The Dhaka University (DU) administration has asked its foreign students, who are currently abroad or in their own countries, not to come Bangladesh right now to escape a possible coronavirus infection.

The administration has also asked the students not to be worried or to panic because of the notice.

The decision was taken at a provost committee meeting held on Thursday night with DU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Akhtaruzzaman in the chair.

"We are discouraging the foreign students so that they do not enter Bangladesh at this moment. We also asked the students and the teachers, who recently came from abroad, to go into self-quarantine," the vice-chancellor told The Business Standard.