Khulna city shops closed from Thursday

The district Covid-19 prevention committee has decided to keep all shops in the Khulna metropolitan area closed from Thursday on as coronavirus cases have been on the rise since last Eid-ul-Fitr.

Besides, no hawkers will be allowed on the city footpath and the movement of vehicles, including easy bikes, will be limited. 

Apart from these, a host of decisions were taken to fight the outbreak during the meeting with Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Helal Hossain in chair at the local circuit house auditorium on Tuesday. 

The movement of people will be banned after evening. However, pharmacies and shops selling daily necessaries will be out of the purview of the restriction. 

The committee decided to install another PCR machine in Khulna Medical College Hospital to test a higher number of coronavirus cases.  With current capacity, maximum 188 samples can be tested daily at KMCH, which is not sufficient.

Beside, a decision was made to install a PCR lab in Satkhira Medical College Hospital. 

If the number of coronavirus cases continues to increase, 42 beds on the 4th floor of Khulna Sadar Hospital will be prepared to treat the growing number of coronavirus patients. 

Five dialysis beds of Sheikh Abu Naser Specialised Hospital will be used if the coronavirus patients need kidney dialysis. 

Besides, oxygen cylinders will be collected from all private hospitals and clinics and will be brought in Khulna Covid-19 hospitals. The district administration agreed to provide another vehicle to collect samples for Covid-19 test.

The taking and dropping of passengers will not be allowed in the long-route bus counter at Royal Mor in the city.

As of Tuesday, 217 people have been infected with the novel coronavirus in Khulna, with 142 of them from the metropolitan area. 

Khulna city mayor Talukdar Abdul Khaleq, Divisional Commissioner Md Anwar Hossain Hawladar and Khulna Health Department Director Rasheda Sultana were present at the meeting. 

Besides, incumbent official for coronavirus prevention in Khulan and Cabinet Secretary (Coordination and Reforms) Md Kamal Hossain joined the meeting online from Dhaka.