2 coronavirus patients recovered, one sent home: IEDCR

Two of the coronavirus infected patients have recovered completely while one of them has returned home, said Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Director Prof Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora on Friday.

She came up with the information at a press briefing arranged by Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in the city's Mohakhali.

"Two of the three infected patients have recovered completely. One of them has returned home while the other one is still at the hospital as some of the patient's family members are quarantined at home," she said.

She said no new case of coronavirus has been detected in the country in the last 24 hours, reports UNB.

"Samples of 187 people have been tested by IEDCR so far.  Twenty four people were tested in the last 24 hours.  However, none of them found infected with coronavirus," said Dr Flora.

About the third infected patient, the IEDCR director said the result is still positive.

Dr Flora urged people with symptoms of coronavirus not to visit IEDCR directly for treatment

"We have received 4349 calls in the last 24 hours.  Of these, 4212 calls were made about suspected coronavirus infection.  In addition, 16 people have directly visited IEDCR,” she said.

“We will request those who have symptoms of the disease or arrived here from the affected countries not to visit IEDCR.  Call the hotline numbers if necessary.  Because, if you carry coronavirus in your body, other people may be infected. IEDCR team will go to your home and collect samples. We will report the results through email and phone," she said.

"People carrying coronavirus in the body have the risk of spreading the disease to those already undergoing treatment at the IEDCR, or those with whom they are travelling or using public transportation," she added.

Dr Flora warned the expatriates arrived here from the from the affected countries to comply with the government's request of staying in self-quarantine.

"People arriving here from overseas must stay in home quarantine for 14 days.  Many are not following the rules. We will be forced to apply the Law of Infectious Disease if this continues," she said. 

DGHS Director General Dr Abul Kalam Azad was present at the briefing alongside representatives from the World Health Organization and UNICEF.