Govt tightens Covid restrictions

Amid the growing concern over the Omicron variant of Covid-19, the government has imposed restrictions on public movement and other activities, including operating public transports at their half capacities.

The Cabinet Division issued a notification on Monday saying that the restrictions will come into effect on January 13 and remain in force until further notice.

The decision came on the day when the country logged a steep rise in Covid-19 cases as 2,231 more infections along with three more deaths were reported in 24 hours till Monday morning.

In an effort to slow the virus transmission, the government took the decision after observing the outbreak of the Omicron variant and the overall Covid situation in the country.

In the last 24 hours till Monday morning, the country registered three deaths, pushing the tally up to 28,105.

The country’s test positivity rate has been witnessing an upward trend since the start of the new year, rising from 2.43 per cent on January 1, 2022.

On Monday, the infection rate jumped to 8.53 per cent which was 6.78 per cent on Sunday.

With the latest developments, the number of all confirmed cases now stands at 15,95,931, according to the daily virus update by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) released on Monday afternoon.

Health authorities reported the latest figures after testing 26,143 samples at 852 laboratories across the country in the last 24 hours. Bangladesh has so far tested 1,16,97,938 samples.

Meanwhile, 208 patients recovered from the deadly infection in the last 24 hours, raising the overall recovery to 15,51,113.

Bangladesh reported its first cases on March 8 last year and the first coronavirus-related death on March 18 the same year.

The daily-case positivity rate reached its peak 32.55 per cent on July 24 last year.

Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet, Rangpur, and Mymensingh all registered new cases on Monday.

Dhaka recorded 1,908 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the highest among all the divisions. Barishal recorded 3 cases, which was the lowest.

Meanwhile, Chattogram recorded 174, Rajshahi 31, Khulna 36, Sylhet 32, Mymensingh 20, and Rangpur 27 new cases.

Meanwhile, the global Covid-19 caseload reached 307,255,380 and the death toll to 5,489,889 till Monday, according to a US-based Johns Hopkins University (JHU) update.

The restrictions include:

• All kinds of public gatherings, including social programmes, political and religious events will remain suspended until further notice.

• People have to wear masks everywhere, including shops, shopping malls, markets, hotels and restaurants. Otherwise, she/he will face legal action.

• The mask use should be ensured in all places, including offices and courts, and mobile court drives will be conducted to prevent the violation of health guidelines.

• People must show their Covid-19 vaccination certificates while taking food in restaurants and staying in residential hotels.

• Students above 12 would not be allowed to enter educational institutions without the vaccination certificate after a specific timeframe set by the Education Ministry.

• Screening facilities must be increased at land ports, airports and maritime ports. The crewmembers of ships must not be allowed to go outside arriving at a port while only truck drivers are allowed to enter land ports with trucks. Besides, visitors along with foreign-bound passengers must not be allowed to enter airports.

• Public transport, including buses, trains and launches, can operate at half of their capacities while drivers and their assistants of all modes of vehicles must have Covid vaccination certificates.

• Passengers coming from abroad must show vaccination certificates and undergo Rapid Antigen tests upon arrival.

• Imams will make people aware about the health guidelines and the use of masks in their sermons during Jummah prayers in all mosques. Deputy commissioners and upazila nirbahi officers will ensure the matter.

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will take necessary steps to ensure Covid-19 vaccination and accelerate booster dose inoculation. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will assist them in publicity.

• In the case of any special situation in any place, the local administration can take steps in consultation with the authorities concerned.