Patients are hiding information about being infected even though community transmission has started

Eight doctors tested positive to the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, which raises the number of doctors infected to 41 in the country.

One of two doctors admitted to the ICU is on life support because his condition is critical.

Among all the infected doctors, only one has recovered successfully.

Dr Nirupam Das, chief administrator of the Bangladesh Doctors Foundation (BDF), confirmed the news to The Business Standard on Monday afternoon.

He said that one doctor has died of coronavirus-like symptoms, however, it will only be confirmed after the test results come back.

Dr Nirupam Das added that most of the infected doctors are from Dhaka and Narayanganj. Four of the newly infected are from Narayanganj, two from Dhaka Medical College Hospital, one from Manikganj and the last one is from Dhaka as well.

He also said that 300 health workers are in quarantine because they have come in contact with the infected.

When asked why doctors were getting infected, Dr Nirupam Das said that patients are hiding information about being infected even though community transmission has started.

He added that there are problems with the system too because there is a shortage of Personal Protective Equipment.

Meanwhile, the president of the Bangladesh Nurses Association, Ismat Ara, told The Business Standard that 10 nurses from both government and private hospital have been infected, among whom two have recovered.

The health department, however, has not provided any information on how many doctors and nurses have been infected with coronavirus in the country.