Dhaka: Five more patients have died from the coronavirus infection in Bangladesh, bringing the death toll to 39.

The tally of infections rose to 803 after another 182 people tested positive for the disease in the last 24 hours, Health Minister Zahid Malik said on Monday.

This is the biggest daily jump in infections since Bangladesh reported its first cases on Mar 8.

Three patients were discharged from hospital during that period, bringing the number of recovered patients to 42 so far.

The government is also giving the green light to medical colleges as well as private and public hospitals across the country that are willing to conduct coronavirus testing amid the surge in cases, according to the health minister.

Newspapers and social media has been awash with reports indicating that many doctors stopped attending their chambers from fear of contracting the infection while diagnostic tests have also hit a snag due to the absence of technicians.

There have also been reports of patients dying from the virus infection due to a lack of treatment at hospitals while many doctors purportedly fled in fear of getting infected.

But the situation is beginning to improve, said Zahid, adding: "We've held fruitful discussions with the Private Hospital Association. They've come forward to serve the nation. They are willing offer a number of hospitals for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

"Among the hospitals in Dhaka that will be used to treat coronavirus patients are the 500-bed Shahabuddin Medical College Hospital and the 700-bed Anwar Khan Modern Medical College Hospital. Both are good hospitals with ICUs. Apart from that, private hispitals in every district are also willing to treat coronavirus patients and we are in the process of enlisting them."

Health authorities have prepared as many as 7,693 and 112 beds in isolation and intensive care units respectively, for the treatment of coronavirus patients in hospitals across the country, according to Abul Kalam Azad, director general of Directorate General Health Service.

But the health minister once again reiterated the importance of social distancing to limit the risk of contagion, pointing at that the majority of coronavirus cases have been detected in Dhaka and Narayanganj where people been fully compliant with the rules during the lockdown.

https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2020/04/13/bangladesh-reports-5-more-virus-deaths-182-new-cases