Five new Corona cases were reported from Bangladesh on Thursday taking the total number of infected persons in the country to 44. Confirming the new cases, the Institute of Epidemiology, Diseases and Research (IEDCR) said that 11 people who tested positive have been released from hospital after recovery and five died from the virus.

Briefing media in Dhaka on Thursday, Director of the IEDCR Dr. Meerjady Sabrina Flora said that testing facilities are being extended with one more centre at Dhaka and another at Chattogram.

In the meanwhile, Army personnel have been enforcing social distancing across the country. A release from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) office of Army said that army has been working with local administration in 61 districts to contain Corona virus spread by enforcing social distancing and other precautionary measures among people. Police has been patrolling streets of Dhaka to ensure that people stay home.

The impact of government suspending public road transport from Thursday was visible as Dhaka bore a deserted look. However, media reported a huge exodus of people from Dhaka to their respective places over the last few days. This has raised concern about possible spread of Corona in other parts of the country.

More international medical aid arrived in Bangladesh as Dhaka received medical equipment and other items like Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from China on Thursday. The official news agency BSS reported that a special aircraft landed in Dhaka on Thursday with supplies of 10 thousand test kits, 10 thousand PPEs and 1000 infra-red thermometers

Earlier on Wednesday, High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das handed over 30,000 surgical masks and 15,000 head-covers to Bangladesh as assistance from SAARC Emergency COVID 19 fund mooted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his video conferencing with SAARC leaders on March 15.

In her address to the nation on Wednesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had assured that Bangladesh is fully prepared to face the challenge of COVID 19. She said that there is no shortage of PPEs and other medical items required for fighting Corona virus in the country.