5 new patients confirmed in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh five more people have been tested positive with coronavirus in the last 24 hours, raising the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 61.

Though no new death from Covid-19 was confirmed across the country in the past 24 hours keeping the total death toll at six.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque disclosed the information in an online press briefing on Friday noon.

"The total number of coronavirus cases [in Bangladesh] is now 61. Five more people have been diagnosed with COVID-19. The good news is that no new patient has died while 26 people have recovered," he said.

The minister urged everyone to stay indoors and comply with the directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Among the coronavirus postive patients, 22 are in hospital and seven are at their respective homes undergoing treatment, said Prof Abul Kalam Azad, director general of DGHS, during the briefing.

In Dhaka, nine Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) laboratories -- labs equipped to test for coronavirus -- have been set up which have started testing while the number outside Dhaka is five, the DG said.

"Within the first week of April, all the divisions will have at least one PCR laboratory and at the end of the month we expect to set up and get running a total of 28 laboratories all over the country," Prof Azad also said.