Bangladesh extends restrictions as virus death toll up

DHAKA, 10 Apr 2020 [Fik/News Sources]: Bangladesh government announced that tougher restrictions on public movement will be applied starting from 6 p.m. local time (1200GMT) on Friday to curb spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to a gazette issued by the Public Administration Ministry, after Friday evening "no one will be allowed to leave home" with some exceptions for essential services such as electricity, water, gas, fire brigade, telephone and internet. 

The decision came after six more people died from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, marking the country's highest daily figure since the outbreak was first recorded on March 8.

“In the last 24 hours, we have recorded six more deaths from coronavirus across the county. With the newly deceased, countrywide total deaths stand at 27,” said Dr. Meerjady Sabrina Flora, the director of Bangladesh’s Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, in a regular online briefing.

She also reported 94 more coronavirus cases, raising the country’s total infections to 424.

This is the second highest daily infection figure after Thursday when 112 new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported as the highest single-day record since the outbreak.

A top businessman also died from COVID-19 late Thursday at a hospital in the capital Dhaka, the head of the country’s leading business association confirmed.

Besides, a senior reporter at private broadcaster Jamuna TV tested positive for the virus on Thursday, prompting its owners to put 34 of his colleagues into home quarantine.

The authorities on Friday announced the current nationwide lockdown will continue till April 25, a third-time extension after it was first announced on March 23.

A countrywide lockdown has been running in Bangladesh since March 26, and the army has been deployed across the country to maintain social distancing during the shutdown.

Since appearing in Wuhan, China, last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 185 countries and regions.

Data compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University shows worldwide infections surpassed 1.61 million, with the death toll around 97,000, while more than 364,600 people have recovered so far.