Four die with Covid-19-like symptoms

In Barishal, two patients undergoing treatment at the isolation unit of Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital (SBMCH) died yesterday morning.

One of the patients, aged about 40, was suffering from fever, cough and breathing issues, said Bakir Hossain, director of the hospital.

He had received treatment at Patuakhali Medical College Hospital for four days and was taken to SBMCH on Saturday, the doctor said.

Another 45-year-old woman died at the hospital with coronavirus symptoms, including fever, breathing difficulties and diarrhoea, said Bakir.

Blood samples of the two deceased and four other suspected patients, who are undergoing treatment at the hospital, will be sent to IEDCR, he added.

Meanwhile, in Khulna, a 70-year-old man, who was receiving treatment at the isolation unit of Khulna Medical College Hospital with flu-like symptoms since Friday, died yesterday morning, said Shoilendra Nath Biswas, in-charge of the unit.

"Although he was diagnosed with tuberculosis, he was kept under isolation as part of our precautionary measures. We have informed IEDCR about the death. But they [IEDCR officials] told us that there was no need to collect samples of this patient," he added.

In Manikganj, a woman died with Corona symptoms at Munnu Medical College Hospital in Sadar upazila, SM Moniruzzaman, director of the hospital.

The victim's mother-in-law died with similar symptoms around a week ago and many people, including the woman, gathered at her funeral, he said.

The district's deputy commissioner SM Ferdous said family members and neighbours of the victim were kept in home quarantine after the death.

In Kishoreganj, a Saudi returnee, who was suspected to be infected with Coronavirus, fled from Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam Medical College Hospital yesterday morning.

Three doctors and four staffs, who came in contact with the patient, were asked to remain in isolation.

Kamal Hossain, 40, hailing from a village under Hossainpur upazila, returned from Saudi Arabia a month ago, said Mohammad Helal Uddin, deputy director of the hospital.

He came to the hospital with fever and cough around 11:00am and when the duty doctor asked him to have some tests to check if he was infected with coronavirus, the patient suddenly started running and left the hospital compound in the blink of an eye, Helal said.

Contacted, civil surgeon of the district Mujibur Rahman said he had asked authorities concerned to trace the patient.

In Noakhali, four houses in Purbo Charbata area of Subarnachar upazila were put under lockdown by the local administration after a person was tested positive with Covid-19.

In Rangpur, a patient, who was admitted to the isolation ward of Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) along with his four other family members on Saturday night, alleged that they were not getting proper medical services.

Faridul Islam Chowdhury, director of RMCH, however, told The Daily Star over the phone that an expert team was "providing treatment to them."

Our correspondents from Barishal, Khulna, Manikganj, Mymensingh, Noakhali and Dinajpur contributed to this report.