Coronavirus: Bangladesh locks down 38 districts

Bangladesh has locked down its 38 districts out of 64 in an effort to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Seventeen more districts were also put on partial lockdown following a rise in the virus cases in the country, said Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Malik.

The fully locked down districts are Gazipur, Gopalganj, Kishoreganj, Madaripur, Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Rajbari, Shariatpur, Tangail, Munshiganj, Cox's Bazar, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Chandpur, Cumilla, Brahmanbaria, Mymensingh, Netrakona, Jamalpur, Sherpur, Rajshahi, Naogaon, Joypurhat, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Nirphamari, Dinajpur, Sunamganj, Habiganj, and Moulvibazar.

As a result, no-one is allowed to enter or exit the districts during the period.

The deadly virus infected 2,456 people and killed 91 as of Sunday in the country, with 75 recovered from the epidemic, said the minister.

Saying that many defy the lockdowns, minister Zahid warned infections and deaths could increase or will go out of control if the restrictions are withdrawn.

Newer districts are getting added to the list of lockdowns as a large number of people are fleeing coronavirus affected areas to their home villages amid restrictions, raising the risk of more infections.

COVID-19 first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year, and then spread to 210 countries and territories.

The epidemic, so far, infected 2,358,675 people and killed 161,919 across the globe, according to Worldometer, a website which compiles number of new coronavirus cases and deaths from it.

However, total recovery from the coronavirus pandemic reached 606,654 across the world.