Magura, May 21: Three Bangladeshis, who recently returned from India, have tested positive for Covid-19.
Of them, one is a 50-year-old woman. The other two are men, aged 25 and 40 years. They are originally residents of Satkhira, Tangail and Kushtia, respectively.Civil Surgeon of Magura district Dr Md Shahidulla Dewan said the three patients have been shifted to the Corona ward of Magura Hospital from an institutional quarantine centre in the district.
Genome sequencing is in process to determine if the patients are infected with the Indian double mutant variant, said the Civil Surgeon. “Within 72 hours, the reports will come,” he said.
On May 8 and 9, a total of 101 Bangladeshis returned through Benapole land port and were kept under institutional quarantine at three different hotels.
Of them, samples of 97 were sent to Jashore University of Science and Technology on Wednesday, excluding the four, who were already transferred to the hospital for treatment.
On Thursday, these three returnees were confirmed Covid positive as the administration received reports of 67 of them.
As India has been experiencing a new strain of Covid-19, the government imposed restrictions along the border areas of Bangladesh. According to the World Health Organisation, the Indian variant has already spread to 60 countries across the world.
Bangladeshi citizens currently travelling to India for treatment and having visas with validity for less than 15 days could enter Bangladesh only through Benapole, Akhaura and Burimari after taking permission from Bangladesh diplomatic missions in New Delhi, Kolkata, and Agartala, and with a mandatory Covid-negative certificate.
