‘People inviting disaster’

One year into the deadly Covid pandemic, it looks like people are once again moving all too freely overlooking health safety guidelines. Nowadays, we hardly maintain social distancing, which is essential to prevent the virus from spreading. Increasing number of people are even ditching facemasks, it appears. While we are receiving vaccines for the Covid virus and as many as over four million (4,218,127 as of Thursday afternoon) people have been inoculated according to Management Information System (MIS), DGHS, it’s safe to say the danger is far from over.

Same concern was echoed by Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Thursday.  "People are not following health guidelines after getting vaccinated. It's inviting disaster," he said expressing deep concern over the rise in coronavirus infection in the country despite the continuation of Covid-19 vaccination. He made the remarks while talking to journalists following a programme at the National Institute of Ophthalmology in Dhaka.

Referring to the coronavirus infected people, he said the percentage of Covid-19 infection had gone down to 2 per cent in the country. Now, the infection has approached to 6 per cent.

"It's a matter of great concern. We've become desperate. We don't use masks properly. We also show reluctance to maintain social distance. We've holding too many social functions, or gatherings. As a result, infection has increased again. We've become more desperate after getting vaccinated. Coronavirus has not left Bangladesh. It'll take more time," he said.

On Thursday Bangladesh another 1,051 cases and six deaths from novel coronavirus in last 24 hours. This was over 1,000 cases for two consecutive days as 1,018 infections were detected on Wednesday. With the new figures, the tally of Covid-19 infections reached 5,54,156 and death toll 8,502.

Earlier on March 10, Bangladesh registered 1,018 new Covid-19 cases, the highest daily caseload in two months. It was on January 10, when DGHS recorded a higher single-day caseload of 1,071. Since then, the number of daily cases remained below the 900 mark until Tuesday.

The month of March is seeing an upward trend of rising cases day by day. On March 1, 585 new Covid-19 cases were recorded, after almost a month of a lower rate of infections, and on Tuesday, 912 cases were detected.

With the number of people testing positive going up, the daily test positivity rate has also risen to 5.98%. The Health Minister on Thursday also said some steps have already been taken to prevent coronavirus infection. 

“I held a meeting with government and non-government officials at different levels of the country on Wednesday. Letters have also been sent to the district levels. The district committees have also been directed to take necessary steps. I asked them to limit various social programmes. They have also been asked to postpone the programmes which are not essential," he said.