Transmission not decreasing anytime soon

As the number of Covid-19 deaths crossed the 1,500 mark yesterday, experts said transmission may not decrease anytime soon unless it is actively controlled.

Yesterday, the Directorate General of Health Services reported 38 new deaths.

With 3,480 fresh Covid-19 patients reported in the 24 hours till yesterday afternoon, the number of cases also hit 1,15,786.

The country now is the 17th worst affected in terms of the number of cases.

"We still have the chance to control transmission. However, we need rigorous detection of every case and isolate them," Prof Nazrul Islam, member of the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 told The Daily Star.

Other experts also said the detection and isolation of every case is the only way to control the transmission.

"No country succeeded to control the transmission with implementing this rigorous measures. We have to increase testing, contract tracing and making people maintain safety precautions -- wearing masks, washing hands and keeping physical distancing," Prof Ridwanur Rahman, another expert, told The Daily Star.

In yesterday's briefing, Prof Nasima Sultana, additional director general (administration) of the DGHS said, the death rate of the Covid-19 patients was 1.30 percent.

On March 8, authorities reported the first two confirmed cases in the country and reported the first death on March 18.

Meanwhile, 1,678 Covid-19 patients have recovered in the 24 hours till yesterday, taking the total number of recoveries to 46,755. The current recovery rate is 40.38 percent, the DGHS official added.

A total of 618 people were put under isolation in the same period, she added.

Among the dead, 33 were male and five female. Fifteen were from Dhaka, 12 from Chattogram, two from Rajshahi, two from Khulna, two from Mymensingh, four from Barishal and another from Sylhet divisions.

One of them was aged between 11 and 20, three between 21 and 30, one between 31 and 40, three between 41 and 50, sixteen between 51 and 60, 10 between 61 and 70, three between 71 and 80 and the other one aged between 81 and 90.

As the number of Covid-19 deaths crossed the 1,500 mark yesterday, experts said transmission may not decrease anytime soon unless it is actively controlled.

Yesterday, the Directorate General of Health Services reported 38 new deaths.

With 3,480 fresh Covid-19 patients reported in the 24 hours till yesterday afternoon, the number of cases also hit 1,15,786.

The country now is the 17th worst affected in terms of the number of cases.

"We still have the chance to control transmission. However, we need rigorous detection of every case and isolate them," Prof Nazrul Islam, member of the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 told The Daily Star.

Other experts also said the detection and isolation of every case is the only way to control the transmission.

"No country succeeded to control the transmission with implementing this rigorous measures. We have to increase testing, contract tracing and making people maintain safety precautions -- wearing masks, washing hands and keeping physical distancing," Prof Ridwanur Rahman, another expert, told The Daily Star.

In yesterday's briefing, Prof Nasima Sultana, additional director general (administration) of the DGHS said, the death rate of the Covid-19 patients was 1.30 percent.

On March 8, authorities reported the first two confirmed cases in the country and reported the first death on March 18.

Meanwhile, 1,678 Covid-19 patients have recovered in the 24 hours till yesterday, taking the total number of recoveries to 46,755. The current recovery rate is 40.38 percent, the DGHS official added.

A total of 618 people were put under isolation in the same period, she added.

Among the dead, 33 were male and five female. Fifteen were from Dhaka, 12 from Chattogram, two from Rajshahi, two from Khulna, two from Mymensingh, four from Barishal and another from Sylhet divisions.

One of them was aged between 11 and 20, three between 21 and 30, one between 31 and 40, three between 41 and 50, sixteen between 51 and 60, 10 between 61 and 70, three between 71 and 80 and the other one aged between 81 and 90.