With COVID-19 symptoms, 50-year old woman says family dumped her in jungle

A 50-year old woman has been dumped in a Tangail jungle allegedly by her husband and children after she developed symptoms of COVID-19.

Police, local public representatives and people from the health department and administration rescued her later after being informed.

She was admitted to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s isolation unit on Tuesday morning.

The woman caught fever, had shortness of breath and sore throat, symptoms similar to those of COVID-19 on Monday night. Her family members suspected that she had contracted the novel coronavirus.

They took her to a jungle in Sakhipur’s Isadighi area and ran away leaving her there, Sakhipur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Asmaul Husna Liza said, citing the patient.  

Later the locals arrived at the spot hearing her cry for help, Liza said.    

Public representatives informed the UNO and the police, Gozaria union council Chairman Abdul Mannan Mia said.

The chairman along with the police and Upazila health complex workers rescued the woman around 1am.

The woman hails from Sherpur’s Nalitabari. Her husband and children work at a readymade garment factory in Gazipur’s Shalna.

She was sent to Dhaka around 2am, Sakhipur Police Station OC Amir Hossain said.

She was taken to Kuwait-Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital but later moved to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Sakhipur Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Abdus Sobhan said.