Bangladesh health ministry for partial lockdown in areas

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The Health Ministry proposed partial lockdowns for some places with higher COVID-19 transmission rates, health minister Zahid Maleque said Monday.

‘Our daily infection rate was only 2 per cent in February which has now shot up to 13 per cent as the number of fatalities and infection rises daily,’ he said at a virtual event of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease and Hospital.

COVID-19 infection rate jumped to 18.38 per cent on Monday from 17.65 per cent on Sunday.

In the afternoon, the health authorities announced the country’s highest-ever daily cases 5,181 as the caseload rose to 600,895. Bangladesh also reported 45 deaths, raising the national tally to 8,949, the Directorate General of Health Services said in a handout.

‘Bangladesh’s economy might face dire consequences if we fail to control the origin of COVID-19 and contain it,’ the minister warned.

Health Ministry has submitted some proposals to the government considering all these issues, Maleque said.

Partial lockdown, closure of amusement centres, picnic, religious gatherings, limiting wedding ceremonies, strengthening quarantine system, limiting passengers in public transports, and limiting attendance in offices are some of the recommendations.

The ministry also proposed ensuring ‘no mask no service’ policy, increasing numbers of mobile courts and imposing fines on health guideline violators.

‘A detailed decision on the matter can hopefully be taken within several days,’ the minister said.

The country launched a countrywide vaccination drive on February 7. As the daily infection rate kept rising, the government extended the closure of school and colleges until May 23.

On Monday, state minister for public administration Farhad Hossain said, ‘The government at the moment is not considering general holidays like last year to tackle the transmission of coronavirus.’

New Age, UNB