AMN
The COVID 19 pandemic in Bangladesh continued to break its own record with 102 deaths reported from the country on Saturday. This is the third straight day when over 100 deaths have been reported from Bangladesh. The death toll in the country has gone up to 10,385. A total of 3698 fresh corona cases were also reported on Saturday taking the total number of infected people to over 7.18 lakh.
The premier medical research institute of Bangladesh Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) in its report has pointed out that 54 districts out of 64 in the country are now in the high risk zone with a positivity rate of over 20 percent. Dhaka has the highest positivity rate at 40 percent with 16 other districts having a positivity rate of over 30 percent.
The government has ramped up measures to fight the pandemic and provide relief to the poor people in the country. Health Minister Zahid Maleque inaugurated the largest COVID 19 hospital in Dhaka on Saturday. The COVID 19 dedicated hospital of the Dhaka North City Corporation has a capacity of 1,000-beds with 212 ICU beds, 250-bed HDU and a COVID emergency unit with 50 beds.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader announced in Dhaka on Saturday that 36.25 lakh poor families will get financial assistance on the occasion of the forthcoming Eid festival. He said it is in continuation of food aid to be given to 1.25 crore families who are suffering due to COVID 19 and lock-down.
Meanwhile, on the fifth day of the 8-day long nationwide lock-down, Dhaka city remained by and large closed, though the traffic and movement of people was higher compared to the last few days. Most of the shops were closed, roads had very few vehicles and the number of people on the road was small. Police were checking the movement of people and vehicles. However, the presence of people in streets and bylanes away from the main road was relatively more.
In other cities of Bangladesh like Pabna, Rajshahi and Barisal among others, the main thoroughfares and markets observed the lockdown more compared to the bylanes and areas away from the main town thoroughfares.