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Thursday, March 28, 2024

North Bengal hospitals flooded with COVID-19 patients: Zahid Maleque

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Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque has said the North Bengal hospitals have been flooded with coronavirus infected patients. It has become very difficult to cope with so many patients. “We don’t want that the problem occurs in Dhaka and adjoining districts,” he said.

He made the remarks while exchanging opinions with local public representatives at his house at Garpara in Manikganj on early Friday afternoon.

Zahid Maleque said: “We couldn’t fully launch the vaccination programme in the country. We expect to receiving vaccines shortly. We’ll receive vaccines from China and Russia, and also from India because we have made an agreement with New Delhi. However, we have not yet received those vaccines. An individual doesn’t get full protection instantly after receiving vaccine shot. Rather, he or she needs to wait for one more month.

Referring to the prevalence of Delta variant or Indian variant of COVID-19 in Bangladesh, the Health Minister said the Indian Delta variant has also entered Bangladesh, and it has 50 per cent more infection capacity. “So, we must protect ourselves, our families and our country by following health guidelines strictly at this time.”

The minister said there were some 1,500 COVID-19 patients at the country’s hospitals when the deadly disease was under control in the country. Now, more than 4,000 COVID-19 patients have been admitted to the hospitals in the country, while about 4,000 people are being admitted to hospitals being infected with COVID-19. “If the number of patients continues to increase at such a rate, it will really become very difficult to accommodate so many coronavirus-infected patients at hospitals,” he said.

Zahid Maleque further said the economies of the countries where coronavirus was not under control, have been badly affected. “Our economy is still in good shape. People still work. But, if the coronavirus infection rises, the lockdown, which is now in place, will affect the economy. Because of it, we all need to work together in accordance with the health guidelines. There is no scope beyond it,” he said.

Manikganj Sadar Upazila Awami League president Israfi Hossain, general secretary Afsar Uddin Sarker, Saturia Upazila Awami League general secretary Afazuddin, Baliati union parishad chairman Ruhul Amin, Dhankora union parishad chairman Abdur Rouf, Saturia union parishad chairman Anwar Hossain Pintu and Tilli union chairman Morsalin Babu.

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