No decision yet over lockdown: Health Minister

GBNEWS24 DESK//

The government has not yet taken any decision to enforce lockdown again in the country for curbing the transmission of Coronavirus, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said on Thursday.

“Currently, we’ve no plan to impose lockdown. No decision has been taken yet in this regard but mobile courts will be operated. If everyone follows the health protocols, the transmission won’t go beyond control,” he said.

The Health Minister came up with the remarks while addressing a programme at the capital’s Krishibid Institution, marking the International Women’s Day.

The minister urged all to follow the rule of ‘no mask no service’ as the virus is yet to go away.

Mobile courts will be operated across the country to ensure social distancing and mask use, Maleque said, adding, “People are moving carelessly despite knowing that they could prevent transmission by following health guidelines. We know how to prevent the coronavirus transmission but still we don’t follow the health regulations.”

The minister called upon all not to hold social programmes, including wedding ceremonies, to reduce the number of infections.

If the Covid-19 situation goes beyond control, it will affect the national economy and create problems for all, he said.

Covid situation in Bangladesh

Bangladesh registered 16 more deaths and 2,187 new cases of Covid-19 in 24 hours till Thursday morning.

With the latest figures, the Covid-19 fatalities climbed to 8,624 while the total infections to 5,64,939, according to a handout released by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

The daily infection rate jumped to 10.45 percent from Wednesday’s 7.68 percent and the daily number of infected people –2,187–both recording highest in this year.

The mortality rate remained static at 1.53 percent for the last six days which was 1.54 percent in the past few weeks, the DGHS said.