Bangladesh: 15 more people with COVID-19 symptoms die

By Md. Kamruzzaman

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - At least 15 people in 10 districts of Bangladesh with symptoms of the novel coronavirus have died since Tuesday, the local Daily Star newspaper reported Thursday.

“District health officials collected samples from most of the victims' bodies for testing while local administrations locked down the victims' houses along with their neighboring buildings,” the report said.

The dead include a five-month girl and an 83-year-old man, with the others aged between 13 and 75, it said.

According to media reports, since the first case of the coronavirus was detected in Bangladesh on March 8, at least 52 people have died with symptoms of the disease.

The Dhaka Tribune reported on April 5 that as many as 37 people had died across 24 districts after exhibiting symptoms similar to those of COVID-19.

Samples collected from the deceased were sent for medical tests and some of the results came back negative, while the rest are not yet available, said the report.

However, Meerjady Sabrina Flora, director of Bangladesh’s Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, said at a recent press briefing that they had collected samples from the bodies of the victims but most of them had come back negative, the Tribune report added.

Meanwhile, there is a report of a case in the northeastern district of Sunamganj where before news of it reached the local administration, the family had buried the deceased, who had been exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency recently, Zafrullah Chowdhury, a senior doctor and founder of the Gonoshasthaya Kendra Health Center, said the volume of coronavirus tests must be increased.

“All medical reports of those who have died with coronavirus symptoms should be published immediately,” Chowdhury said.

Bangladesh has so far officially recorded 20 deaths from the coronavirus and 218 cases with 33 recoveries.