Wuhan returnees must be cautious for 10 more days: IEDCR

The 312 Bangladeshi evacuees from China's coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan have been advised to excercise extra caution for the next 10 days as they began returning home after close surveillance in isolation for two weeks.

Meerjady Sabrina Flora, a director at the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research or IEDCR, revealed the information at a media briefing on Sunday.

"All 312 returnees are in good health. None of them displayed any symptom of the coronavirus infection during the 14-day quarantine. They returned home after being cleared of the disease," said Flora.

Nevertheless, the returnees will be kept under observation for 10 more days as an added precaution, according to the IEDCR director.

"They should avoid big gatherings and try to stay home unless there's an emergency. Even then they should wear masks when they go outside."

The first case of a novel coronavirus was detected in China's Hubei province in December last year. The virus has since spread to over 25 countries, leaving 1,669 people dead.

Hundreds of Bangladeshi students and researchers were stranded in Wuhan in the process. The government subsequently brought back 312 of its citizens from the locked down city in a special flight on Feb 1.

On their return, eight of the evacuees were sent to two hospitals with fever while the others underwent quarantine at Ashkona Hajj Camp for 14 days, the incubation period for the virus.

While staying at the camp, 11 returnees were sent to the Combined Military Hospital due to poor health. However, none of the Wuhan returnees were found to be infected with the coronavirus, said IEDCR.