11 More India Returnees Test Positive for Covid-19

Eleven people who returned home from India on May 5 tested positive for Covid-19, causing alarm about the Indian variant of coronavirus.

All of the Covid-19 patients are now receiving care at Satkhira Medical College and Hospital's isolation ward, UNB reports.

On May 5, 142 Bangladeshi nationals returned home from India, and all of their samples were collected for testing.

According to Satkhira Civil Surgeon Husain Safayet, 11 of them tested positive for Covid-19 when the results were released on Tuesday night. 

The others were kept in Satkhira's three quarantine centers, and their quarantine period will end today.

The 11 Covid-19 patients' samples, on the other hand, will be sent to the IEDCR for examination to see whether they are the deadly Indian variants.

Deputy Commissioner of Satkhira SM Mostafa Kamal said all the 11 Covid-19 patients were sent to the isolation unit of Satkhira Medical College and Hospital for treatment under special management.

Meanwhile, residents of Satkhira district town filled with fear after hearing that the Indian returnees have been kept in different hotels in the district town.

As India has been experiencing a new strain of Covid-19, the government imposed restrictions along the border areas of Bangladesh. According to the World Health Organisation, the Indian variant has already spread to 60 countries across the world.

Bangladeshi citizens travelling India for treatment and holding visas valid for less than 15 days could only enter Bangladesh through Benapole, Akhaura, and Burimari after obtaining permission from Bangladesh diplomatic missions in New Delhi, Kolkata, and Agartala and submitting a required Covid-negative certificate obtained through PCR testing within 72 hours of entry.