Needless panic about coronavirus will cause more trouble: IEDCR

Pointless panic about the novel coronavirus will hinder efforts to prevent the disease, according to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research or IEDCR.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 22 Feb 2020, 11:55 AM
Updated : 22 Feb 2020, 11:55 AM

Rumours should not be spread on the issue, IEDCR Director Prof Meerjady Sabrina Flora said at a media briefing on Saturday.

Foreign nationals or Bangladesh returnees from abroad are being harassed, she said.

“Some overenthusiastic people are creating embarrassing situations. We were informed that house owners are not letting their tenants enter the houses. A Chinese national was not allowed to enter his rented house and had to spend the night in a hotel,” she said.

Prof Meerjady Sabrina Flora, the director of IEDCR, briefs the media on Tuesday on the health condition of Bangladeshis evacuated from China amid the new coronavirus outbreak. Photo: Mahmud Zaman Ovi

If someone is really infected with the coronavirus, then keeping them outside will spread the disease furthermore, Flora said.

“We have said the China returnees should remain at home. We’ll put the entire country at risk by not allowing them to enter their apartments. Now, if anyone has the symptoms of the disease, they’ll conceal it fearing the social stigma.”

In Bangladesh, 77 people were checked for coronavirus infections but none of them tested positive, said the IEDCR director.

The conditions of the five Bangladeshi nationals infected with the coronavirus in Singapore remain the same, she said. One of them is in critical condition, but the health authorities still hope for his recovery, she added.

“They’re trying their best. We hope everyone will recover and go home.”

Another Bangladeshi has been infected with the novel coronavirus in the United Arab Emirates, the health ministry of UAE said.

Globally, 77,000 people have been infected with the virus as of Friday while the death toll rose to 2,360.