Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Monday said he was diagnosed with coronavirus.

Dr Zafrullah told reporters that he was tested with Rapid Dot Blot kit developed by Gonoshasthaya Kendra at its laboratory on Sunday and found positive for the virus.

“I underwent antigen test with our kit and the result was positive,” he said.

Zafrullah said he will also undergo an antibody test on Tuesday.

He said he is currently in isolation in a separate room at his Dhanmondi residence.

Meanwhile, Gonoshasthaya Kendra postponed its plan to collect samples of 50 patients for the test with GR Covid-19 kit at the request of Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA).

Earlier on Wednesday, Gonoshasthaya Kendra submitted 200 samples of Rapid Dot Blot kits, developed by the organisation for coronavirus test, to the authorities of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) to conduct the performance study.

Also read: Gonoshasthaya submits 200 samples of Corona-testing kits to BSMMU

Earlier on April 30, the DGDA gave Gonoshasthaya the permission to get its Covid-19 rapid testing kits tested.

On May 2, the BSMMU authorities formed a six-member committee to conduct the performance study of the testing kits as the organisation approached the country’s premier medical university.

On April 25, Gonoshasthaya Kendra authorities handed over their testing kits to the BSMMU and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the final approval.

Also read: Gonoshasthaya gets permission for performance study of its kits

Gonoshasthaya Kendra has developed the “easy, effective and cheap” method to test for coronavirus or Covid-19.

Gonoshasthaya-RNA Biotech Limited, a sister concern of Gonoshasthaya, developed the method named ‘Gonoshasthaya Rapid Dot Blot.’

On March 17, Gonoshasthaya Kendra declared that they had developed a testing kit that can examine samples to detect Covid-19 within 15 minutes.

Also read: Gonoshasthaya develops ‘simple, cheap, effective’ Coronavirus test system

Dhaka Journalist Union (DUJ) demonstrated on Monday protesting frequent sackings of journalists from different news media and demanding clearance of their dues (salary and Eid-ul-Fitr allowance).

The journalists held a rally at Kawran Bazar in the afternoon amid the festivity of Eid-ul-Fitr, biggest festival of Muslim Community.

DUJ President Kuddus Afrad said media owners are sacking their staffs and depriving them from different benefits amid coronavirus outbreak which is similar to violation of human rights.

He also demanded reappointment of all the journalists who were sacked during the crisis.

The protesters also threatened to launch tougher movement if their demands are not met.

The daily caseload of coronavirus infections touched yet another new high on Monday, with the health authorities reporting 1,975 individuals tested positive in the last 24 hours.

The number of confirmed cases now stands at 35,585.

“During the period in question, 21 more people died from coronavirus, taking the local death tally to 501,” Prof Dr Nasima Sultana, the Additional Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said at today’s daily bulletin, that was broadcast online to a population largely spending Eid ul Fitr in their respective homes. 

Forty-eight labs across the country tested 9,451 samples in the last 24 hours. The 1,975 positive cases constitute 20.9% of the total, one of the highest proportions recorded till date.  “So far, 253,034 tests have been carried out across the country since March 8.” 

She also said that in the same 24 hours, 433 coronavirus-infected people completed full recovery from their infections, which upped the total number of recoveries to 7,334. 

Also Read: Fear of virus bows before urge to be home for Eid

Against the total number of detected cases, the recovery rate is 20.61 percent and mortality rate is 1.41 percent in Bangladesh, Dr Nasima said. 

Previously, Bangladesh reported the record number of new cases in a day on Saturday which was 1,873. On Sunday, the country reported the highest number of deaths in a day from the virus, 28. 

Of the 21 deceased reported today, 16 were male and five were female. “Of them, 11 were from Dhaka division, 9 from Chittagong division and one was from Rangpur division.”   

Read Also:  China sees zero locally transmitted coronavirus case

Dr Nasima highlighted that one of them was a child. 

“Age analysis of victims says, one was aged between 11 and 20, three between 41 and 50, nine between 51 and 60, four between 61 and 70, two between 71 and 80, and two more between 81 and 90 years,” she said.

Dr Nasima said there are 13,264 isolation beds across the country while 67 more are being prepared. 

Read Also:COVID-19: Record on both fronts, as 22 die and 1773 test positive

Labaid Hospital in Dhaka is the latest institution to carry out the gold-standard RT-PCR test for detecting coronavirus infection. 

Across the country 264 more people were taken into isolation in the last 24 hours while 2,384 remained quarantined, either institutionally or at home during the same period. 

Read Also: Global coronavirus death toll 345,059

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday greeted all freedom fighters of the country on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Like other occasions, the prime minister sent flowers, fruits and sweetmeats to the war-wounded freedom fighters and members of the martyred families at Martyred and War-wounded Freedom Fighters’ Rehabilitation Centre (Muktijoddha Tower-1) at Gaznavi Road in the capital’s Mohammadpur area as a mark of her good wishes for them.

PM’s Assistant Private Secretary-2 Gazi Hafizur Rahman Liku, Protocol Officer-2 SM Khurshid-ul-Alam and Assistant Press Secretary ABM Sarwar-e-Alam Sarkar handed over these items to them this morning.

In their brief speech, the officials sought doa from all for protection of the country's people from the coronavirus pandemic.

Also Read:Celebrate Eid staying home: PM

The war-wounded FFs and members of the martyred families thanked and expressed gratitude to the prime minister for remembering them on every national day and festivals like the Independence Day, the Victory Day, Eid and Pahela Baishakh.

They wished the prime minister good health and long life.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) on Monday forecast rain or thundershowers for parts of the country in the next 24 hours commencing from 9am today.

“Rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at a few places over Rangpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions,” the Met Office said in a bulletin in the morning.

Meanwhile, one or two places over Dhaka division and the region of Bogura will experience the same weather, it said.

Weather will remain mainly dry elsewhere over the country.

A trough of low lies over West Bengal and adjoining area while seasonal low lies over South Bay, says the Met Office.

Also Read:Muslims in Bangladesh celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr

It said that the day and night temperature may rise slightly over the country.

Sunday’s highest temperature – 34.3 degrees Celsius – was recorded in Faridpur and lowest 21.4C in Sylhet till 6am on Monday.

Muslims in Bangladesh are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr, their biggest religious festivals, on Monday.

Rain would not dampen Eid celebration this year, as people are celebrating the occasion at home.

Earlier on Wednesday night, cyclone ‘Amphan’ battered coastal districts of Bangladesh, with wind speed of up to 180kph and over 10 feet tidal surges.

It inflicted heavy damage to lives, livelihood, agriculture, infrastructures, environment, as well as the largest mangrove forest in the world, the Sundarbans, in southwestern region of the country.