Hospital kept ready in case coronavirus enters Bangladesh: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said a dedicated hospital has been kept ready if the deadly virus enters the country.

Noting that Coronavirus has not entered Bangladesh yet, PM also said training are being given to physicians and nurses in this regard.

She came up with the remark at the oath-taking ceremony of the newly-elected mayors and councillors of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) at the Shapla Hall of her office.

Besides, the Prime Minister said, the government is taking proper measures to keep Bangladesh free from Coronavirus.

More than 80,000 people in about 40 countries have been infected with the new coronavirus which emerged in December. More than 2,700 have died. The vast majority remain in China, according to an AP report.

Meanwhile, 23 more Bangladeshi nationals have been evacuated from China's Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak.

They were flown to Delhi on Thursday by a special flight with a number of other Indian nationals, said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.

The Bangladeshi nationals will be quarantined in special facilities in suburbs in Delhi.

Bangladesh brought back 312 of its nationals from China on February 1 and the remaining Bangladeshis registered to return home.

Earlier, India expressed willingness to take some Bangladeshi students onboard from Wuhan with Indian nationals upon necessary permission.

Besides, five Bangladesh citizens were infected with coronavirus in Singapore, according to Singapore Health Ministry.

A 39-year-old Bangladeshi has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID19), the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) announced on Friday.