Dhaka extends COVID-19 lockdown for another week amid surge in cases
Bangladesh on Tuesday extended a nationwide lockdown for another week in a bid to curb a surge in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases.
The latest restrictions introduced to tackle the health crisis would now end on July 14, officials told Arab News.
Dr. Nasima Sultana, additional director general of the Bangladeshi Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said: “We had to increase the lockdown period to contain the spread of the virus.
“If people don’t follow the restrictions and health and safety guidelines, it will be tough to manage thousands of new COVID-19 patients every day.”
On Monday, health authorities registered 164 deaths, the highest single day rise since the pandemic began, taking the total number of virus-related fatalities in the country to 15,500.
The south Asian nation also reported its highest number of new daily infections at 9,964, adding to the tally of 954,881 cases.
Hospitals are stretched to capacity with COVID-19 patients, particularly in areas bordering India where the Delta variant was first identified, promoting Dhaka to seal its border with New Delhi in April.
But despite the current positivity rate standing at around 30 percent, Sultana added: “We may expect a downward trend in the infections rate from the third week of July.
“As of today, the situation is still manageable, and there is no crisis of oxygen supply in any hospital of the country. If the situation deteriorates further, we may introduce a few more specialized COVID-19 hospitals in the capital.”
A surge in COVID-19 cases, caused mainly by the highly contagious and virulent Delta variant, prompted the government on Thursday to order a week of strict lockdown measures, with the army patrolling streets to ensure compliance with safety protocols.
Authorities are scaling up vaccinations too. Bangladesh resumed its nationwide inoculation drive
toward the end of June using China’s Sinopharm vaccine, nearly two months after halting the initiative due to a failed supply of 30 million doses from India.
Starting from January, New Delhi had vowed to deliver the Covishield vaccine, produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII), to Dhaka, in a phased manner.
Bangladesh’s health authorities launched the anti-virus drive in early February after India sent 7 million doses of Covishield in two installments.
However, after a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases throughout the country, New Delhi held back its vaccine exports for domestic consumption, resulting in a stalled supply of the crucial jabs for Dhaka from April.
On Tuesday, the government said it was expanding its vaccination program to include citizens aged 35 and over. Earlier, the minimum age limit was 40.
Prof. Robed Amin, DGHS spokesperson, told Arab News: “We will reopen the registrations for all ... from next Thursday. People will receive Sinopharm vaccine at all governmentrun health facilities at the district and subdistrict level.”