Fear of further increase in infection: Health Minister

At an exchange meeting on Saturday afternoon to discuss the rise of Covid-19 infection, oxygen crisis, hospital facilities and increase in the number of beds, the health minister expressed concern that the infection would increase further.

In the last one week, the number of coronary patient diagnoses and deaths in the country has increased by 26.67% and 6.96%, the Department of Health said on Saturday.

Health Minister Zahid Malek said, “Infections have definitely increased due to non-observance of hygiene rules during Eid, going to cattle markets, markets and villages, which we will see in the future. The number of infections is higher this time due to Delta variant. Delta variant came from India. It has taken three months for the rate of infection to come down. It is expected that it will take three months for the rate of infection to come down in our country as well. “

“The number of patients in the third wave of covid-19 is increasing. The rate of infection has increased 6-7 times. The number of deaths has increased tenfold. It is alarming. Bed occupancy has increased 10 times. There are 15000 beds for covid-19 patients in Dhaka city including 5000. The number of beds is declining. The demand for ICUs is also high.

To address the situation, hospital beds are being increased and the government is working to meet the oxygen crisis, the health minister said.

Regarding the oxygen crisis, the director general of the health department said that from now on, 400 tone of oxygen can be brought from India in two phases every week. As such, 1600 tons of oxygen will come to the country every month. Then there will be no more oxygen crisis.