2,314 overseas returnees are in ‘home quarantine’: IEDCR

As many as 2,314 travelers who arrived in Bangladesh during the global novel coronavirus outbreak are currently in quarantine at their respective homes across the country, according to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research or IEDC.

Director

Meerjady Sabrina Flora.

Ten people are in ‘isolation’ and four in quarantine at different hospitals, said IEDCR Director Meerjady Sabrina Flora on Sunday.

“Earlier, we didn’t mention the number of people in home quarantine to avoid creating misconceptions among the public. We didn't want to create panic but are now sharing it upon your (journalists) insistence. Our civil surgeons gave us the information with our management confirming the numbers."

The IEDCR received 3,706 calls on its hotline in the 24 hours to Sunday noon, among which, 3,671 were related to the novel coronavirus, she said.

The government's disease control agency tested the samples of 231 people for the virus with five returning positive results, according to Flora.

Bangladesh reported its first cases of the virus on Mar 8 after three people -- two men and a woman -- tested positive. Two of them have since been discharged from hospital after recovery.

The number of confirmed cases rose to five on Saturday after two Bangladeshis who recently returned from Germany and Italy, were diagnosed with the infecion.

“Both are men with one aged 29 and the other over 40. One of them has diabetes and hypertension. Both of them had fever and cough but they’re now in stable condition,” said Flora.

Flora also urged people not to go to the IEDCR directly for medical assistance. “This increases the risk of contagion. The infection can spread among passengers of the public transport that you’ll be using,” she said.

IEDCR has conducted 210 tests for the virus so far and has more than 2,000 test kits with more on the way, the director said.