Returnees to face legal action if not stay in self-quarantine for 14 days: IEDCR

The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) on Friday asked Bangladeshi expatriates, who have returned and are returning home from coronavirus-affected countries, to comply with the government's directives of staying in self-quarantine in their home for at least 14 days.

“Those Bangladeshi expatriates, who are returning home from abroad, will have to stay in self-quarantine for at least 14 days. We are noticing that the returnees are not following the directives,” said IEDCR director Professor Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora while addressing a media briefing on the latest coronavirus situation at her office in the capital Mohakhali area this afternoon.

She warned, “We have made requests them (returnees) to follow the government instructions so far. But they are not paying heed to the soft request of the government. Therefore, we will apply the law of infectious diseases prevention (the Epidemic Diseases Act) from now, if this continues.”

During the briefing, Meerjady Sabrina Flora informed that one of the three people, who were diagnosed with novel coronavirus in the country, was released from hospital.

The IEDCR director said, "Two of the three infected patients have recovered completely. One of them has returned home while the other one is still at the hospital as some of the patient's family members are quarantined at home.”

“We'll request those who have symptoms of the disease or arrived here from the affected countries not to visit the IEDCR.  Call over the hotline numbers, if necessary.  Because, if you carry coronavirus in your body, other people may get infected. The IEDCR team will go to your home and collect samples. We'll report the results through email and phone," she said.

"People carrying coronavirus in the body have the risk of spreading the disease to those already undergoing treatment at the IEDCR, or those with whom they're travelling or using public transportation," she added.

DGHS Director General Dr Abul Kalam Azad was present at the briefing alongside representatives from the World Health Organization and Unicef.

Earlier on March 8, the first three cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the country.
Of the coronavirus infected Bangladeshis, two have recently returned from Italy.

The duo have received treatment at a hospital in the capital while a family member of one of the two is the third person affected with the virus.