Dhaka, February 16 – A Chinese national, suspected to be suffering from coronavirus, was admitted at the isolation unit of the Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) on Sunday. On the other hand, a Bangladeshi expatriate was referred to Dhaka from Tangail General Hospital after arriving from Singapore, though doctors in Tangail didn’t find any trace of coronavirus in his body. Meanwhile, the Chinese government is providing 500 sets of coronavirus testing kits, the ‘most advanced kits’, to Bangladesh to identify coronavirus as a gesture of goodwill and strong faith that Bangladesh has in China in winning the battle against COVID-19, the Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming said.
In the meantime, Director of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora said that the 312 Bangladeshi evacuees from China’s coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan have been advised to exercise extra caution for the next 10 days as they returned home after close surveillance in isolation for two weeks in Ashkona Hajj camp.
In a development, another 112 Bangladeshi nationals among 312, who have been kept under close watch at Ashkona Hajj Camp, have returned home as they left the camp from 8 am to 9 am in the morning.
In Rangpur, the Chinese national, who was admitted at RMCH, works at the Uttara Export Processing Zone (UEPZ) in Nilphamari’s Saidpur, said RMCH spokesperson Narayan Chandra.
“We have reported the case to Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) in Dhaka,” he said. “They will send a medical team, who will collect samples for medical tests,” he added.
In Tangail, after arriving from Singapore, he went to the Basail Upazila Health Complex on Sunday in face of the rage of the local community. Doctors from there referred him to Tangail General Hospital. Doctors from that hospital didn’t find any coronavirus in his body.
But, as a returnee from Singapore, where five Bangladeshi are infected with that virus, he was suggested to get treatment from Dhaka by Tangail General Hospital.
Doctor of the emergency department of Tangail General Hospital Mozammel Hossain said, “No coronavirus was found in his body. His body has no symptoms of fever or chills. However, since he is from abroad and people are suspecting him, he has been advised to go to Dhaka and have a test of coronavirus.
In about providing 500 sets of coronavirus testing kits to Bangladesh the Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming said “The Embassy has ordered 500 coronavirus testing kits innovated by Beijing Genomic Institution to help enhance Bangladesh capacity to detect virus infection at an earliest possible time. It would be very helpful to stop spreading of the virus in this country. This kit will be here within two days.”
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming came up with the statement at a meeting with foreign minister AK Abdul Momen at the latter’s office in the capital.
On the other hand, Abdul Momen said, “The trend of increasing of this virus has stopped. The total number of victims is not increasing. In the Hubei province, it has been by and large controlled. China has done a wonderful job by shutting down the entire city of the epicentre of the virus.”
Since the outbreak of the virus Bangladesh is continuously in touch with China, the foreign minister said.
“Our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sent letters to Chinese President and also chairman of CPC Xi Jinping. In her letter, she wrote that she has decided to send some hand sanitizer, masks, hand gloves, aprons for the use of Chinese brothers as a friendly gesture,” he added.
Receiving the letter from Abdul Momen, Chinese Ambassador Li Jiming said, “During this hardship, it’s a great consolation to receive a heart touching letter from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed to Chinese President Xi Jinping.”
“Since the outbreak of the virus, Bangladesh has been cooperating very closely with the Chinese side. We have also received many letters of sympathy from eminent quarters of Bangladesh including two letters from Sheikh Hasina,” he added.
“We are also receiving donations from local organisations and individuals,” he added.
Quoting Chinese cooperation to Bangladesh, he said, “Three days ago the Chinese government provided $670 million dollars in cash under the south-south cooperation to help reduce the maternal mortality rate in Bangladesh. This mutual helping is still ongoing. All of these speak volumes of China-Bangladesh partnership of strategic cooperation.”
Chinese Ambassador said, “This year is a critical historical juncture for China and Bangladesh. China is going to eliminate absolute poverty and become a moderately prosperous society while Bangladesh is celebrating the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and on its way to become a middle-income country by 2021.”
Foreign minister Abdul Momen said, “We brought 312 Bangladeshi from China. There are still 171 Bangladeshi in Hubei province and they are willing to come back. “We are working on them. If China allows, we will bring them back,” he added.
In reply to a query, Li Jiming said, “The raw materials of textile and garment of Bangladesh is largely reliable on China. Wuhan is not the main supply area of textile material. Wuhan is mainly an electronic city,” he added.
At IEDCR, Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora said, “All 312 returnees are in good health. None of them displayed any symptom of the coronavirus infection during the 14-day quarantine. They returned home after being cleared of the disease.”
Nevertheless, the returnees will be kept under observation for 10 more days as an added precaution, according to the IEDCR director.
“They should avoid big gatherings and try to stay home unless there’s an emergency. Even then they should wear masks when they go outside,” she said.
Explaining the reason for the 24-day surveillance, she said, “The IEDCR was doing everything in accordance with the World Health Organization’s advice. A study by the US CDC suggested keeping it for 24 days. As an added precaution, the IEDCR is focusing on the issue for 30 days.”
Hundreds of Bangladeshi students and researchers were stranded in Wuhan in the process. The government subsequently brought back 312 of its citizens from the locked-down city in a special flight on Feb 1. On their return, eight of the evacuees were sent to two hospitals with a fever while the others underwent quarantine at Ashkona Hajj Camp for 14 days, the incubation period for the virus.
While staying at the camp, 11 returnees were sent to the Combined Military Hospital due to poor health. However, none of the Wuhan returnees were found to be infected with the coronavirus, said IEDCR. – Staff Reporter
