Death After Virus Symptoms: 929 die in two months

Bangladesh Peace Observatory (BPO), a UNDP funded research facility housed at Centre for Genocide Studies, prepared the report based on different media outlets and published it on Tuesday.

The report came out at a time when the authorities recorded only 269 Covid-19 deaths since the first three cases reported on March 8.

Of the 929 deaths with Covid-19 symptoms, 210 were in Dhaka, 167 in Chattogram, 110 in Khulna, 87 in Rajshahi, 84 in Barishal, 66 in Sylhet and 65 in Rangpur divisions, the report mentioned.

The report also mentioned that there were at least 33 incidents of ignorance from medical professionals or reticence to treat non-Covid patients.

Besides, 17 patients were denied burial, eight incidents of forced eviction from homes, 23 cases of abandonment from family or family members or colleagues and two persons died by suicide for social stigma.

The number of harassment or assault originated from social stigma cases are nine while such cases related to medical professionals' stands at 15.

RUMORS AND ARRESTS

The report recorded that as many as 79 incidents of spreading rumours and 84 arrests for spreading rumors has taken place so far centering Covid-19.

In Dhaka, 34 people were arrested whereas other divisions like Chattagram, Khulna, Rajshahi, Rangpur and Barishal had 12, 7, 6, 15, and 10 rumours-related arrests respectively.

The highest number of people were arrested between March 8 and April 18, the report added.

RELIEF EMBEZZLEMENT

Until May 5, The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives suspended 49 people's representatives -- including 18 UP chairmen, 29 UP members, one district council member and one municipal councilor -- for irregularities in distribution of relief among the poor amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Around 8,136 people were fined or penalised on several charges including relief embezzlement, food adulteration, providing lesser quantity of relief, fraudulent, keeping shops or hotels open against government order, roaming around, bike riding, gossiping in roads, travelling, violating social distancing, stockpiling (food, medicine), and price hike of daily necessities.

At least 386 (40.31% less than last week) were detained or fined or penalised and 11 were arrested all over Bangladesh between May 3 and May 9.

As of yesterday, a total of 144,538 tests have been conducted and the rate of tests per million in the country is 802, according to the data of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).