Sample collection, test for Covid-19 to continue during Eid holidays

Samples collection from suspected novel coronavirus (Covid-19) patients and testing the samples will continue during Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.

Earlier, the health ministry cancelled Eid holidays for health workers working under the ministry.

Doctors, nurses and other staff will be on duty as per their respective duty rosters, officials concerned told The Business Standard.

"Sample collection and testing activities will continue during the Eid holidays. A duty roster for the holiday has already been prepared," said Professor Nasima Sultana, additional director general of health directorate.

Holidays for Eid-ul-Fitr – the largest religious festival for the Muslims – start on Saturday amid the growing number of Covid-19 patients in the country.

At present, suspected Covid-19 patients can provide the sample for the test at 44 organisations and labs across the country. Twenty-two of those are in Dhaka.

As many as 399 ICUs and 106 dialysis beds are available for the treatment of the novel coronavirus infected patients in the country.

The National Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Referral Centre (NILMRC), major corona testing centre, has been testing samples collected from Sylhet, Rajshahi and inside Dhaka city.

NILMRC director Dr AKM Shamsuzzaman told The Business Standard that they cancelled all types of leaves and holidays for their staff.

"We don't have any pause in our duty during the Eid holidays. Our doctors, nurses and staff including drivers will be at the office for collecting samples and test those in the lab," said Shamsuzzaman.

On May 18, the health ministry instructed to keep open all Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) laboratories across the country to test coronavirus during Eid, weekly and any kind of government holidays.

The instruction signed by Shamima Nasrin, deputy secretary of health service division of the ministry of health and family welfare, said the decision was made considering the Covid-19 situation in the country.

On Friday, the country recorded the highest 24 deaths in 24 hours and the number of the total confirmed cases crossed 30,000.

Data illustrated that the infection from the virus is massively spreading after the opening of the shops and malls, garments industry and other businesses.

Now, health experts are worried that the infection would hit the country more dangerously as the mass of people is heading to their home town to celebrate the festival.

The pandemic would spread in the remote villages if the government fails to curb the movement of people from Dhaka.