The number of patients, infected with dengue, is five times higher than previous year in the past five months, said Bangladesh's Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Monday (May 29, 2023). “A total of 1704 people have been infected with dengue in the past five months till May 28 and during this period 13 people died,” he said while speaking at a press briefing over Covid-19 vaccine at the Secretariat. The Director General of Health Services has taken steps to control dengue as the authorities concerned are conducting dengue surveys and reports of the survey have been submitted to the two city corporations, he said. Already a separate ward and corner has been created for dengue patients in hospitals and 2500 physicians and nurses were given training to tackle dengue, he added. Also read: Dengue numbers keep rising: 72 more cases reported “We have engaged different people including teachers, students and military personnel to make people aware about dengue. Already, steps have been taken to make people aware through posters, banners and advertisements in televisions,” he said. He also urged all to keep their respective houses clean, keep spraying chemicals for eliminating mosquitoes and maintain a healthy life. Talking about the Covid-19 vaccine, the minister said already 30 lakh doses of variant containing vaccines (VCV) under COVAX facilities reached in Bangladesh and it will be administered as 3rd and 4th dose to the people from this week in all city corporations, districts, upazilas and municipality levels across the country, he said. About 88.51% people have been brought under the first dose, 82.18 % under the second dose, 39.62% under 3rd dose and 1.85% under 4th dose, said Maleque. Also read: 80pc people to be vaccinated by March: Zahid Maleque There are no side effects in VCV vaccination and the World Health Organisation (WHO) also gave a positive opinion about it, claimed the minister. The 3rd dose will be administered to people above 18 years while the 4th dose will be given to the people above 60 years or people who have been suffering from long-term diseases, pregnant women and frontline fighters, he said. The 3rd dose will be given after four months of receiving the second dose while the 4th dose will be given four months after receiving the 3rd dose, he added. Prof Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Nazmul Haque Khan, additional secretary (hospital) and high officials of the ministry were present there. Read more: Dengue cases surge: 46 patients hospitalised in 24 hrs

A confirmed case of Indian Coronavirus strain has been detected in Bangladesh, says the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research(IEDCR). "The Indian variant of Coronavirus was detected in a sample test at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. It has been published on Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data(GSID)," said chief scientific officer of IEDCR ASM Alamgir. Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) DG Dr ABM Khurshid Alam also told the media that the Indian variant of Coronavirus has been found in Bangladesh. The infected patients returned from India. They had been there for treatment, and now they’re staying in Jeshore,” he added. Professor Nasima Sultana, additional director general of the institution, also confirmed the development at a press conference in the afternoon. She said, “Jessore University of Science and Technology and IEDCR conducted separate examinations on the samples of 8 persons in Jessore. The Indian variant was  found in 2 of them by both the institutions.” Also read: Border with India to remain shut for another 14 days “ Besides, 4 other samples tested there were found very similar to that of the Indian strain,” she added. Besides, the DGHS said 60 of India returnees, who are now there in institutional quarantine, came here after getting infected there. But it is not sure yet whether they were infected with the Indian variant, it said. The Genome Centre of Jessore University of Science and Technology also confirmed the findings through a press release today. According to the press release, three among 16 Indian returnees tested positive for Covid-19 recently after entering Bangladesh. Their samples were collected from Jessore General Hospital and sent to the university lab on May 6. A research team, led by the Assistant Director of the Genome Centre Dr Md Iqbal Kabir identified  the Indian Covid variant in two of the collected samples through sequencing. Earlier, on May 3, the DGHS said the government would be confirmed within a few days whether the highly contagious Indian variant of coronavirus has already reached Bangladesh as an investigation was on in this regard. Also read: Indian Covid Strain: Two more cases identified in Jessore Speaking at a virtual press briefing, DGHS spokesperson Dr Nazmul Islam, said, "We may be able to say it in a few days whether the Indian strain of Covid-19 has come to Bangladesh or not." He said the samples of those who tested positive for coronavirus after entering Bangladesh from India are being collected. “These samples are being sent for genome sequencing…we’ll share it with you immediately after receiving the report.” India is experiencing a horrific Covid situation as its crematoriums and burial grounds are being overwhelmed by the devastating new surge of infections tearing through the populous country with terrifying speed, depleting the supply of life-saving oxygen to critical levels and leaving patients to die while waiting in line to see doctors, reports AP from New Delhi. India recorded over 4 lakh new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours ending 8 am Saturday, taking the country’s total caseload to over 2.18 crore. Out of these, over 37 lakh cases are currently active while over 1.79 crore people have recovered. With 4,187 new deaths, the toll now stands at over 2.38 lakh. At least 14 states are reporting cases in five figures. Also read: India's surge hits southern states, prompts more lockdowns Maharashtra reported about 54,000 cases, Karnataka had nearly 49,000, while Kerala had over 38,000. On April 26, Bangladesh closed its border with India for any kind of movement except that of cargoes for the next 14 day to prevent the spread of the deadly Coronavirus. The Indian variant of Covid-19 viruses mutate all the time, producing different versions of themselves. Most of these mutations are insignificant - and some may even make the virus less dangerous - but others can make it more contagious and harder to vaccinate against. The original India variant - officially known as B.1.617 - was first detected in October, reports the  BBC. That version has now been re-characterised as three different subtypes, all with slightly different genetic mutations. India has said a new variant of the coronavirus first discovered there in March may be linked to a deadly second wave, according to another BBC report. Samples containing the "double mutant"- or B.1.617 variant - have been found in several states with high case numbers. An official at the National Centre for Disease Control said, however, that they had still been unable to fully establish a correlation. A double mutant is when two mutations come together in the same virus.

The government will be confirmed within a few days whether the highly contagious Indian variant of coronavirus has already reached Bangladesh as an investigation is going on in this regard, said Director General of Health Services (DGHS) on Monday. Speaking at a virtual press briefing, DGHS spokesperson Dr Nazmul Islam, said, "We may be able to say it in a few days whether the Indian strain of Covid-19 has come to Bangladesh or not." He said the samples of those who tested positive for coronavirus after entering Bangladesh from India are being collected. “These samples are being sent for genome sequencing…we’ll share it with you immediately after receiving the report.” Also Read: Shutting border with India: Experts praise it as prudent decision Replying to a question, Nazmul said whether those who have taken the first doses of the Oxford vaccine can take the second doses of any other company’s vaccine, he said they did not yet get any specific advice from the World Health Organization and vaccine companies to this end. He said they will wait for 12 weeks to have the Oxford Vaccine and they hope they will get it by this time. “There’s some sort of politics and diplomacy around the world over vaccines. Even then, it should be the ultimate victory of humanity. As we’ve seen Bangladesh finally came out victorious always. That's why we want to be confident that we’ll get the Oxford vaccine and will complete the second dose with the same,” The DGHS spokesman said. He said the stock of the vaccine collected by the government from India is about to run out. Nazmul said 58,19,709 people received the first doses of the vaccine while 29,36,241 the second doses as of May 2. “We don’t have many vaccine doses in our hands now.” He said they hoped that they would get vaccine doses from China by this month. Also Read: Coronavirus: 'Double mutant' Covid variant found in India The DGHS spokesman said efforts are on to collect the vaccines from different sources, including China and Russia, as early as possible. Stating that mask is the biggest preventive gear against Coronavirus in absence of a vaccine, Nazmul urged all to wear masks whenever they come out of their homes and maintain health safety rules to remain safe from the virus.

Director General of Directorate General of Health Services Dr Abul Kalam Azad has been taking rest at his home due to some health complications.