Bangladesh confirms second death from coronavirus, 4 new cases

Bangladesh today announced the second death, a 70-year-old man, from the novel coronavirus in the country.

Few members of the victim's family returned from Italy and Japan recently.

Confirming the matter during a briefing, Health Minister Zahid Malik also said four patients were diagnosed with the virus in the last 24 hours, increasing the total number to 24. 

"We are thinking to invite specialist doctors and nurses, who successfully treated patients in China's Wuhan, to come here to train our doctors and nurses. A proposal will be sent to the premier in this regard soon," the minister said.

China has extended its helping hand by providing masks, kits and other necessary materials to mitigate the crisis.

Zahid Malik further said, "Two new hospitals - Sheikh Rasel Gastro Liver Institute & Hospital and Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn And Plastic Surgery – have been kept ready in the capital to treat the coronavirus patients."

"Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) currently conducting coronavirus tests with eight machines and seven new machines will arrive soon. 100 ICU units are ready for coronavirus patients and 300 more ICU units will be added gradually," the minister added.

He also said a letter has been sent to the Armed Forced Division for setting up two quarantine centres.

The health minister again said that police have been asked to put a lock on the gate of the house of home-quarantined people as they reportedly are roaming outside their home.

"The airport authorities have been asked to submit the list of the expatriate Bangladeshis, who arrived here since March 1," the minister said further. 

Bangladesh confirmed its first death from coronavirus infection on March 18.

A total of 50 patients are in institutional quarantine and 14,000 people are in home quarantine in the whole country, the minister said in the briefing.