Bangladesh: Over 87,000 COVID-19 cases confirmed in country as of June 14 /update 15

Event

Bangladeshi authorities announced on Sunday, June 14, that 87,520 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases have been confirmed in-country, including 1171 associated deaths. The Health Ministry announced that 3141 new COVID-19 positive cases and 32 associated deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

A nationwide curfew introduced by Bangladeshi authorities to curb the spread of COVID-19 remains in place until Monday, June 15. During the hours of 20:00 and 08:00 (local time), residents are only to leave their homes if there is an urgent need. Volunteers and emergency workers are exempt from the abovementioned curfew. Additionally, from June 6 to June 20, the Bangladeshi government has classified Cox's Bazar town (Chittagong division) as a red zone and placed specific lockdown restrictions on the area. All shops will be closed during this period except for food markets, which are permitted to open on Sundays and Thursdays only. Additionally, travel in and out of the town is not permitted during this period. 

Further spread of the virus is expected in the near term. 

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Human-to-human and patient-to-medical staff transmission of the virus have been confirmed. Many of the associated fatalities have been due to pneumonia caused by the virus.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic.

Pneumonia symptoms include dry cough, chest pain, fever, and trouble breathing. Pneumonia can be contagious and can be transmitted from human to human. The influenza virus, or the flu, is a common cause of viral pneumonia.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease.