Coronavirus situation is likely to improve in mid-August if the government takes strict measures for maintaining social distance in the cattle markets and monitors the movement of homebound people during the oncoming Eid-ul-Azha, health experts say.
Analysing last four months’ data provided by the Ministry of Health, it was found that death rate in the fourth month of the pandemic is 60 percent higher than other three months. The infection detection rate is also high.
However, rate of infections and deaths have declined in the last one week along with the recovery rate following an upward trend in the curve.
The experts said there is no alternative to following health guidelines to flatten the curve as many specific areas across the country are witnessing gradual rise in the number of infections.
Talking to the Bangladesh Post, public health Professor Ahmed Hussain predicted that July to mid-August would be the most important time for Bangladesh.
Clarifying the reason for this, he said, “Our corona situation depends on the management of people who will be rushing to home and cattle markets during Eid-ul-Azha.”
He further mentioned that, although Bangladesh has lower infection and mortality rates compared to Italy and the United Kingdom over the same period, the country is still at high risk.
Be-Nazir Ahmed, a former director of the Disease Control Division at the Ministry of Health, said the infection rate will definitely increase if the health guidelines are not followed in the cattle markets.
“In addition, if the lockdown is implemented simultaneously in all the red zones of the capital, infection rate will reduce by the end of this month. However, the current situation is likely to reach its peak in mid-August”, he opined adding we will have to wait until Eid-ul-Azha to see what will actually happen.
