Jhalakathi, Apr 1 (UNB) – The 100-bed Jhalakathi Sadar Hospital became almost empty as outdoor patients refrained from receiving services, while indoor patients also left the hospital due to panic over the novel coronavirus.

Most of physicians are also not attending duties amid insecurity as there is no patient in the outdoor department and wards other than emergency department.

The hospital authorities say they think patients are not coming to the hospital as the common people have become more conscious about coronavirus infection.

Visiting the hospital at 10am on Wednesday, this correspondent found no patient and physician at the outdoor department, operation theatre and reception centre of the government hospital.  

The ticket counter and rooms of physicians were found under lock and key.

A crowd of 300-400 patients is normally seen at the outdoor, but there was none in the morning.    

The emergency department had only a few patients who were also seen leaving the hospital after receiving treatment.

The patient wards remained empty and two-three nurses were seen passing idle times there.

“There is no patient here. We’re passing idle time,” said an on-duty nurse.

Jhalakathi Civil Surgeon Shyamal Krishna Hawlader said the outdoor of the hospital is kept open from 8:30am to 12pm. But the emergency department is always open and the physicians are also rendering services there.

There were some indoor patients. Many of them left the hospital, he added.

A child who was undergoing treatment at the coronavirus isolation unit at Mohammad Ali Hospital in Bogura, died on Wednesday evening.

Civil Surgeon Dr Gausul Azim Chowdhury said the 13-year-old was admitted to the unit at 3:30pm and died about three hours later. 

Dr Shafik Amin, Resident Medical Officer (RMO) of the hospital, said the child was suffering from cold, cough and fever.

Samples have been collected from the child for testing coronavirus infection, he said.

Bangladesh confirmed its sixth coronavirus death and three new cases on Wednesday, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 54.

Following a High Court order, the complaint filed by journalist Ariful Islam has been recorded  against former Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Sultana Pervin, Senior Assistant Commissioner (RDC) Nazim Uddin, two executive magistrates and 40 others in connection with his torture.

Ariful filed the complaint at Sadar Police Station on March 19 which was recorded as a case on March 31 (Tuesday).

Others accused in the case are executive magistrates Rintu Bikash Chakma ad SM Rahatul Islam and 35-40 unidentified government workers.

The High Court on March 25 asked the officer-in-charge of Kurigram Sadar Police Station to accept the case filed Ariful.

After getting the copy of the order, the complaint was recorded as a case, said OC Mahfuzur Rahman.

Ariful Islam, district correspondent of online news portal Bangla Tribune, was jailed for one year and fined Tk 50,000 for ‘possessing narcotics’ by a mobile court at the dead of night.

The local administration claimed that Ariful was arrested with 450ml local liquor and 100g hemp. But Ariful’s wife Mostarima Sardar Nitu said a group of law enforcers entered their home at Charuapara around midnight and took away her husband forcefully without showing any reason.

After getting out on bail, Ariful said he was tortured by the magistrates.

One of the two patients fled from the coronavirus isolation unit of Bhola General Hospital on Wednesday.

The patient got admitted with fever and cough on Tuesday night, but has not been seen at the hospital after 1pm, Bhola Civil Surgeon Dr Ratan Kumar Dhali said.

The escapee, a staff of Sheltech Tiles Industries in Bhola hailing from Joypurhat, was kept in the isolation unit as a suspected COVID-19 patient.

Dr Dhali said they informed police about the matter.

The patient’s samples were supposed to be sent to Dhaka on Wednesday, said the health official.

Hospital sources said two young men with fever, cough and influenza came to the hospital on Tuesday night. They were kept at the isolation unit as they showed coronavirus symptoms.

Another patient hailed from Razapur Union of Bhola Sadar upazila.

Meanwhile, the local administration has asked two more overseas returnees to stay in home quarantine, raising the number of people in home quarantine to 427 in the district.  

So far, 258 people completed their 14-day home quarantine in Bhola.

The government has announced to keep close all modes of public transport, public gathering and shops in Narayanganj city to check the outbreak of Coronavirus but just four days after the announcement all types of transport started moving on the roads while shops keeping their shutters open.

Movement of people on Bangabandhu road is also seen. However, shops in each lanes and by-lanes are being open in large number and movement of people and rickshaws were much than that of main roads.

But till now no drive of the administration was seen in the lanes and by-lanes. UNB Correspondent found that as a result there were more public gatherings in the Chashara intersection area from Tuesday morning to noon than that of previous  few days. During this time, there were more movement of rickshaw, auto-rickshaw, CNG, private cars, and truck. Besides, it was seen that several food shops including tea stalls and makeshift shops were functioning. People’s presence in these places were also mentionable.   

Abu Hanif, who was selling green coconut in front of Nur mosque, said that “I have brought the green coconuts three days back but I could not sell those yet. If these remain unsold, then these green coconut would spoil and then no none would buy. So I would have to face much loss. I had no income in the last three days. I am passing my days by spending saved money. I would die of starvation if I cannot do anything today”.  

When asked whether relief is being provided from the government agencies he said that “We are not enlisted in the relief list and so we are not getting any such help. Not only facing the problem of food at home but also facing the problem of house rent. It would not be possible to maintain such huge expense by staying at home. So being compelled I had to resort to sale of green coconut”. 

Karim Mia who sells tea in flux  said that “I earn Tk 200 by selling tea in flux in a day. However, I could sell one flux tea from morning to noon today (Wednesday). If such situation continues, then I would die of starvation.”

“I don’t know whom the government is providing relief materials. I didn’t get any relief. So I have to come out of house”, Karim Mia added.