Coronavrirus situation in Bangladesh
Coronavirus: Global death toll reaches 287,293, cases over 4 m
The global death tally from coronavirus pandemic reached 287,293 as of Tuesday morning.
Since the first reported in China in December last year, coronavirus has so far infected 4,254,800 people globally, according to Worldometer.
Meanwhile, among the currently 2,440,363 infected patients, 2,393,4279 are in mild condition, which is 98 percent.
On the other hand, 46,936 infected of the currently infected patients are in serious condition, and their percentage is only two, the Worldometer shows.
Number of coronavirus-infected doctors in Bangladesh now 475: BDF
Bangladesh Doctors Foundation (BDF), a forum of physicians, on Thursday said a total of 475 doctors have so far been infected with coronavirus while treating Covid-19 patients at both government and private hospitals.
“Among the total, 35 were infected in the last 24 hours till Thursday,” said Nirupam Das, the chief administrator of the foundation.
Of the total infected doctors, 316 are from government hospitals while 122 are attached with private hospitals and 37 doctors are shown in another category.
Child suffering from fever dies in Chattogram
A five-year-old child suffering from fever died in Madambibirhat area of Sitankunda upazila on Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Hasan, son of Mohammad Hossain, a tea stall worker of the area.
The sample of the kid was collected and sent to the Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases for coronavirus test, said Dr Nur Uddin of Sitakunda Health Complex.
Meanwhile, seven more people died from coronavirus in Bangladesh in the last 24 hours till Thursday, taking the death toll in the country to 127.
Besides, 414 more people tested positive for coronavirus during the period, raising the number of such cases in the country to 4186.
69pc RMG workers stop sending money to families: Study
About 69 percent of the readymade garment (RMG) workers who used to send money to their families in villages have stopped doing so after the coronavirus outbreak, a recent study found.
Seventy-six percent of the female workers and 61 percent male workers did not send money to their families, said the study by Innovation Consulting, a Dhaka-based international consultancy providing research, technical assistance and project management services to multilateral and bi-lateral donor agencies.
According to the study findings, 97 percent of the workers will stop sending money to their villages if they do not get salaries for the month of April.
Man suffering from cold, fever dies in Sylhet
A 50-year-old man suffering from cold and fever died at Shaheed Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital in the city on Thursday.
The deceased was admitted to the hospital on Thursday afternoon with cold and fever and he died at 8pm, said Dr Sushanta Kumar, resident medical officer of the hospital.
21 RMCH physicians, 21 others test negative for Covid-19
Twenty-one doctors and 12 nurses among 42 staff members of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) who were sent on quarantine after they came in contact with a Covid-19 patient have tested negative for coronavirus.
Banking hours in commercial areas extended
All the banks in commercial areas of Motijheel and Dilkhusha in Dhaka and Khatunganj and Agrabad in Chattogram will operate transaction from 10 am to 2pm from Sunday next to facilitate export-import business.
Coronavirus: KMCH doctor airlifted to Dhaka
A physician of Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH), who tested positive for coronavirus, was airlifted to Dhaka on Thursday night following deterioration of his condition.
Online office: Pvt employees more active than govt officials
Although employees at different private institutions are continuing to work from home during the ongoing government-declared general holidays, most government employees are enjoying the holidays without attending offices online.
Experts say implementation of virtual offices for government officials is also possible.
Nazrul Islam Khan, former national project director of the Access to Information Programme of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), said all government officials can work online from home if the authorities want that to happen.
“Now it’s very much possible to keep offices, including ministries, operational thanks to internet facilities. Important meetings can be arranged using Zoom and Google. Besides, letters and other files can be transferred easily through e-filing system. But these are not happening now,” he said.
Earlier, all ministries were instructed by the PMO to use e-filing system to turn Bangladesh into a digital country. But the instruction was not fully implemented. Now a number of ministries are using the technology on trial basis.
As the number of coronavirus cases in the country is growing and the global situation worsening, the government on March 23 declared general holidays from March 26 and later extended that to April 25.
Coronavirus: Grameen Telecom stands by doctors, healthcare workers
Along with the government, Grameen Telecom is extending its helping hand towards doctors and healthcare workers during the coronavirus pandemic in the country.
Grameen Fabrics and Fashion Ltd (GFFL), financed by Grameen Telecom, is manufacturing personal protective equipment (gowns) for the safety of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers, said a press release.
It has manufactured over 25,000 safety gowns as of Thursday, of which the majority has gone to different hospitals and healthcare institutions of the country, it said.
Meanwhile, imported cloth and seam sealing tape has reached the GFFL factory for the production of an additional 20,000 PPE for doctors, nurses and health personnel, especially those engaged at Intensive Care Units (ICU).
The press release said the manufacturing of such gowns will start in a few days.