Satkhira yet to report Covid-19 case, thanks to combined steps
All 77 of the returned medical reports have indicated the district’s patients are Covid-19-negative
No patient has tested positive for Covid-19 in Satkhira so far. The people concerned have thanked the coordinated steps taken by the district's administration and health department.
Civil Surgeon of Satkhira Dr Hussein Safayat said 266 samples have been sent from the district till Thursday. Of the 77 reports received, all are Covid-19-negative. The rest of the reports are likely to return negative.
"We were able to ensure the quarantine of people who came from abroad in the first phase."
Satkhira Deputy Commissioner SM Mostafa Kamal said, "About 11,000 people came to Satkhira from home and abroad from March 1 to March 28. Their home quarantine was confirmed by putting a red flag on their houses."
He said that in the last 14 days, more than 15,000 people from different areas – including Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur, Madaripur, and Shariatpur – have come to Satkhira district amid the shutdown. Of these, 3,096 have been placed in institutional quarantine and others in their own homes.
Upazila Nirbahi Officers have been directed to ensure the institutional and home quarantine of the individuals, he added.
Civil Surgeon Dr Hussein Safayat further said, "Some fear that Covid-19 will spread with the recent arrival of brick kiln workers from different parts of the country. However, we have ensured their home or institutional quarantine."
Alongside the quarantine, Deputy Commissioner SM Mostafa Kamal has undertaken many more initiatives to help and raise awareness about novel coronavirus among the people.
The district administration said software has been launched in Satkhira to distribute relief and disseminate information about novel coronavirus. With this, the people concerned can easily monitor relief management and know the overall situation of the virus.
So far, the district has received its allocation of 100 metric tons of rice and Tk50.50 lakh in cash. Of those, 875 metric tons of rice and TK35.50 lakh has been distributed. A total 436,856 people have been brought under the food aid program, it added.
Additionally, an SMS system has been introduced for people who are hesitant to collect relief materials in public. A team of the district administration, on motorcycles, is discreetly delivering relief items – to the homes of individuals who have reported having a food crisis to the deputy commissioner, via Facebook Messenger or mobile phone.
To keep people and school students at home, various cultural activities – including the recitation of poems, group based open essays, poetry, and story-writing competitions – are being promoted through local cable channels. Additionally, the image of relief distribution is being presented through Facebook Live.
A total of 1,956 individuals and 47 organisations have been fined more than Tk 20 lakh for not maintaining social distancing rules and for roaming around unnecessarily – defying government orders – the district administration office sources said.
The deputy commissioner said a mobile iftar market would be launched at 16 points in the town from the first Ramadan for fasting people during the holy month.
Additionally, the district administration has launched a mobile market using four trucks with the idea of "no profit – no loss" to prevent the accumulation of crowds and maintain social distancing.
A special monitoring team has been formed to control the prices of goods during Ramadan, he added.
An upazila-based online market has been launched on Facebook. It has daily commodities including fish, meat and vegetables. To adhere to social distancing rules, 84 hat-bazaars have been shifted across the district.
Health department workers are working in the field to contain the spread of Covid-19. The administration is also raising awareness by making announcements and distributing leaflets.