Delta Variant in Villages: Negligence Shows No Mercy

Even a few days ago, the only thing the villagers said was, ‘There is no Coronavirus in our village; We will not be infected with the virus." That's why they didn't wear face masks or follow health measures. But as time goes on, the situation is getting worse. 

Delta variants of Corona are widely spread in the country. 80% of the people of the country live in villages. The number of patients suffering from cold, cough, and fever has increased in most of the villages. Many have sore throats. Many are avoiding seasonal fever. Most people are reluctant to see a doctor. Many are suppressing the issue for fear of a social boycott. Due to lack of awareness, most people are not getting tested even after experiencing Corona symptoms. Compared to urban areas, rural people are more reluctant to seek medical care, adhere to hygiene rules, and use masks.

According to the latest data from the Khulna District Civil Surgeon's Office, in the first 16 days of June, 1,818 people were identified as corona positive in Khulna city and district. Of them, 1,346 people have been identified in the city and 472 people have been identified in 9 Upazilas. As per this, in 16 days of June, about 74.04 percent of the total identified patients in the district were in the city and 25.96 percent in the Upazila. Of the 23 people who died of corona in the district at this time, 11 were from the city and 12 from the Upazila.

Ishahak Ali (55) of Kharia village in Koyra Upazila of Khulna is a carpenter by profession. He has been at home for three days with a fever. Taking medicine on the advice of a village doctor. But did not test Corona. He claims, "It’s seasonal fever. At this time a little fever occurs. It gets better again. " 

Mazaharul Islam, a shopkeeper in Baranpara area of Fultala, has been suffering from fever and cough for four days. Napa and cough syrup are brought from the pharmacy and taken. While asked why he did not test corona, he replied, "If the test is positive, then the problem will increase. I did not do it for that."

Not only them, but many others like them are also suffering from fever and cough in almost every village of ten districts of Khulna division. But none of them are testing the corona to avoid ‘trouble’. Khulna Medical College Vice President Mehdi Newaz said that if all those who have symptoms are tested, the identification will increase. The issue of not getting tested is very worrying.

Infection is on the rise in Jivannagar, Damurhuda upazila of Chuadanga. Many people in these areas are still wandering in the markets even after being affected. Besides, medicines for cold, flu, cough, and fever are being sold most in the pharmacies of the Upazila.

The situation is worse in the border district of Satkhira. Moslemuddin, Maqbul Hossain, Ashraf Hossain, Nedu Moral, and Anisur Rahman of Tulshidanga village in Kalaroa Upazila are at home with corona symptoms. If you want to know why they didn't do the test, their answer is, we won't do the test. They said, "We are taking treatment as per the advice of the village doctor. If not, then our house will be locked down, then there will be many problems." Shamim Hossain and Abul Kalam of Manikhar village in Tala Upazila also said the same.

Kalaroa Health and Family Planning Officer. Ziaur Rahman said that due to lack of awareness, most people are not taking the test even after showing corona symptoms. 

Satkhira Medical College Hospital caretaker said. Kudrat-i-Khoda said that most of the people who have died in Corona so far in this hospital are from their villages. Lack of awareness makes them not paying attention at first after being attacked. Coming to the hospital at the last stage, which is why death is on the rise.

Professor Anisur Rahim, president of the district citizens' committee, said there was no alternative but to go door-to-door to test the samples. The health department has to take urgent steps in this regard.

About 40 percent of the patients admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RAMEC) are from rural areas. And most of those killed in Corona were infected with the Delta variant of India, doctors say.

Doctors say the patients' condition is suddenly getting worse. The patients who come to the hospital have low oxygen saturation. Various physical problems including shortness of breath are suddenly increasing. Different types of physical conditions are changing rapidly. In many cases, these types do not even give time for treatment. It is not happening in the villages as it is strictly observed in the cities. As a result, more patients are coming from rural areas. A corona patient is walking around the village without a mask. Thus many people are being affected.

Scientists say the Delta virus cannot be killed by vaccination. Viruses have the ability to change genes and that mutation can happen in the blink of an eye. The common coronavirus does not survive long in the patient's body. But when the virus reproduces in the cell within seven to fourteen days, mutations occur. That is, the more new the virus enters the human body, the greater the risk of new mutations!

People have gone from Dhaka to the villages in a few rounds without following the hygiene rules and have left the virus there. Since then, the corona has been quietly spreading among unaware villagers, said a public health expert. According to them, people have returned to the village in groups on several occasions due to lockdown after the onset of the infection. In the midst of the epidemic, Eid turned into a festival going to people's homes. Many of those who returned home carried the coronavirus in their bodies while they were asleep. Besides, Indian variants of Corona have spread in the border districts at a huge rate. From there the infection spread to villages across the country.

Former director of the Department of Health Disease Control and Adviser to the World Health Organization, Professor Benazir Ahmed said the extent to which the corona infection would spread would depend on certain conditions. If effective measures are not taken in the affected areas, the widespread infection can occur. We used to say- the people of the village are not attacked, now it is seen that the people of the village are being attacked. This variant is the Delta variant. This variant spreads a lot more infections. So it will have an impact locally. District-Upazila level management will not be so good, it will not be like Dhaka. Many districts we know are small, where there is no ventilator support, in which case people will also have problems with treatment.

The Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) and the Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad (Swachip) meet two to three days a month to discuss corona infection. They have analyzed the situation of Corona and medical services and found that the management of Corona medical services in these two divisions of Barisal and Rajshahi is bad. In addition, many districts do not have the capacity to provide medical services. Corona healing ability refers to the high-flow nasal canola and central oxygen system. At the district and Upazila level, all the doctors know the protocol of corona treatment. However, high-flow nasal canola cannot be introduced without central oxygen system.

Department of Health spokesman Prof. Robed Amin said the number of patients infected with coronavirus has increased in Khulna, Rajshahi, Jessore and Chapainawabganj. The Indian delta variant of the deadly coronavirus is causing a steady rise in the number of infected and dead in the country's border districts. The number of beds in all border areas including Chapainawabganj has been increased. Chapainawabganj Sadar Hospital has been instructed not to admit any patient without an emergency. If necessary, the entire hospital will be turned into a specialized hospital. The same has been said in other marginal areas.

Covid-19 National Technical Advisory Committee member Prof. Nazrul Islam said it is difficult to coordinate by testing samples through RT-PCR. If antigen testing is done, then there will be a solution. It will quickly identify the patient, and if the patient is identified, isolating them, it will be convenient to quarantine who are in contact with the patient. And in areas where RT-PCR testing is limited, antigen testing will increase the patient's detection rate, and then it will be easier to take action accordingly.