Italy returnees are healthy, says health minister

None of the Bangladeshis who returned home from coronavirus-ravaged Italy on Saturday are infected with the novel virus, Health Minister Zahid Malik has said.

But they will nevertheless undergo medical tests during quarantine at Dhaka's Ashkona Hajj Camp in a bid to curb the risk of a coronavirus outbreak in the country, according to the minister.

The three patients, including two Italy returnees, who were diagnosed with the coronavirus -- Bangladesh's first confirmed cases of the infection -- are much healthier now, said Zahid.

An Emirates flight carrying 142 Bangladeshi evacuees arrived in Dhaka from Rome on Saturday. They were then taken directly to Ashkona Hajj Camp near the airport under special measures where they will remain in quarantine for 14 days in line with the health minister's order.

The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research or IEDCR later revealed that none of the returnees showed any symptom of the coronavirus infection.

Speaking to reporters at the Department of Health, Zahid said: "Those who've returned are all in good health. No one is sick. They are being quarantined at the Hajj camp where we will examine their health to see if anyone has the virus."

"We've come to know that many of them came back with health clearances after undergoing quarantine there. If we see that everyone's healthy then they'll be quarantined at home."

Director General of Health Services Prof Abul Kalam Azad said another 34 Bangladeshi nationals are slated to return home from Italy on Saturday with 155 more coming back on Sunday.

Earlier, the health ministry announced in a statement that all travelers arriving in Bangladesh from countries affected by the coronavirus will have to undergo a mandatory quarantine.