India variant in Bangladesh: We might see an inevitable spike in August
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Tuesday
February 07, 2023

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2023
India variant in Bangladesh: We might see an inevitable spike in August

Panorama

Dr Be-Nazir Ahmed
10 May, 2021, 11:25 am
Last modified: 10 May, 2021, 12:07 pm

Related News

  • Decoding Monetary Policy Statement 2023: Was there any better alternative?
  • Indian police arrest 28 Bangladeshis at Agra slum
  • Oil’s New Map: How India turns Russia crude into the west's fuel
  • Manpower export to Malaysia to be made easier, faster: Minister
  • Indian watchdog tells investors markets stable despite Adani rout

India variant in Bangladesh: We might see an inevitable spike in August

Dr Be-Nazir Ahmed
10 May, 2021, 11:25 am
Last modified: 10 May, 2021, 12:07 pm
Dr Be-Nazir Ahmed , former director (Disease Control), DGHS. Sketch/TBS
Dr Be-Nazir Ahmed , former director (Disease Control), DGHS. Sketch/TBS

On 8 May, the deadly coronavirus variant that is ravaging neighbouring India was found in Bangladesh. This Indian variant is considered dangerous because of its clinical aspects. 

Scientists have detected its two clinical aspects: Transmission, and the severity of the disease. 

Transmission shows its fast-transferring rate among people and severity of the disease focuses on the variant's impact on the utilisation of resources, comorbidities, and mortality. 

Researchers have observed the presence of both clinical aspects in this variant. 

This variant's diversity created a concern when the UK variant was detected. It was one of those first variants that started to spread fast and had the chance of becoming extremely severe. 

Later, another variant was detected in South Africa which had relative resistance to the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. 

Recently, we noticed that the centre of gravity of the pandemic has shifted from China to Italy, from there to the United States, then to Brazil and now to India. 

There were different variants, but each of them had some particular properties which made it dangerous. 

Now, this Indian variant has properties from both the UK and the South African variant. Hence, it is called a 'double' variant and is more dangerous than the previous ones.

This 'double' variant is not going to affect us immediately; it has just entered the country, so there is no immediate risk. 

Exceptions made for Mustafizur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan with regards to quarantine should not be appreciated. Photo: Collected
Exceptions made for Mustafizur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan with regards to quarantine should not be appreciated. Photo: Collected

It will create clusters now but within three months we might see a massive jump in infection. 

The spike we witnessed at the end of March this year was the result of our reckless attitude in December and January. 

That means, whether our health sector will be affected or not depends on the number of infections and our current activities.

For now, the number is insignificant, hence its implication seems insignificant. Once the number jumps, its implication is going to be completely different. Clearly, we are not capable of handling a massive jump in numbers. 

If we look at our current situation, we will see that people are going home to their families and going to markets for Eid shopping. 

If this continues, the infection cannot be controlled and we might see an inevitable spike in August.

Hence, we need to take a few steps quickly. All communication with India has been halted for a time, and it should be continued till community transmission remains active in India. 

Moreover, we must strictly follow the health guidelines to get effective results.

Another thing that we need to ensure is mandatory quarantine for every passenger coming to Bangladesh. 

There should not be any scope for a catalyst to aggravate the situation. Passengers have to be in quarantine for 14 days, even if they do not exhibit any symptoms. 

As IPL 2021 is postponed, Mustafizur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan returned home on a charter plane and were said to be in quarantine for three to seven days. Photo: Collected.
As IPL 2021 is postponed, Mustafizur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan returned home on a charter plane and were said to be in quarantine for three to seven days. Photo: Collected.

We saw that our national cricketers Mustafizur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan returned home on a charter plane just a few days ago and it was said that they will be in quarantine for three to seven days. 

Such exceptions should not be made and should not be appreciated. These practices will not bring anything good; they will only raise risks for everyone. 

Those who are infected by this strain need to be kept in isolation and observed closely.

Transport movement, any public gathering and communication need to be restricted or kept extremely limited as soon as possible. 

We are not capable of tackling the situation if this strain hits us like India or Nepal. 

Only if we increase our precautionary measures, then there might be a small chance, but we do not see any preparations yet. 

For us, it is a proportional math – the higher the infection will be, the more hospital beds we will need.

Are we prepared to handle the infection if it increases by 1,200 times like Nepal? We are not. 


The author is former director (Disease Control), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS)

Analysis / Features / Top News

India / variant / Bangladesh / inevitable / spike

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • A man stands in front of collapsed buildings following an earthquake in Kahramanmaras, Turkey February 6, 2023. Ihlas News Agency (IHA) via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. TURKEY OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN TURKEY.
    Deaths exceed 2,600 as catastrophic quakes ravage Turkey, Syria
  • 30% cos see double-digit growth even in hard times
    30% cos see double-digit growth even in hard times
  • Govt borrowing from commercial banks surges
    Govt borrowing from commercial banks surges

MOST VIEWED

  • Mohammad Zaved Akhtar/TBS Sketch
    Unilever CEO warns of tough 9-10 months ahead
  • Illustration: TBS
    Decoding Monetary Policy Statement 2023: Was there any better alternative?
  • Why Pakistan is struggling to get another IMF bailout
    Why Pakistan is struggling to get another IMF bailout
  • Photo: Courtesy
    From 'Made in Bangladesh' to 'Designed in Bangladesh'
  • The megaproject Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has a debt of Tk90,474 crore. Photo: Courtesy
    Projects funded with debt need to be selected prudently, and implemented timely
  • Google must adjust to a world where content is increasingly generated by AI. Photo: Bloomberg
    Google will join the AI wars, pitting LaMDA against ChatGPT

Related News

  • Decoding Monetary Policy Statement 2023: Was there any better alternative?
  • Indian police arrest 28 Bangladeshis at Agra slum
  • Oil’s New Map: How India turns Russia crude into the west's fuel
  • Manpower export to Malaysia to be made easier, faster: Minister
  • Indian watchdog tells investors markets stable despite Adani rout

Features

Photo: Collected

Get your partner a lovely present this Valentine's Day

17h | Brands
Pottery Wheel Craft Kit: A creative outlet for little hands

Pottery Wheel Craft Kit: A creative outlet for little hands

16h | Brands
Say it with Colours

Say it with Colours

1d | Mode
Photo: Courtesy

From 'Made in Bangladesh' to 'Designed in Bangladesh'

1d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Who will survive? Adani or Hindenburg?

Who will survive? Adani or Hindenburg?

8h | TBS Stories
James Gunn’s 8-10-year plan for the DC Universe

James Gunn’s 8-10-year plan for the DC Universe

8h | TBS Entertainment
LC issues lead to severe shortage of surgical equipment

LC issues lead to severe shortage of surgical equipment

11h | TBS Insight
Stage plays are going on in the digital age

Stage plays are going on in the digital age

16h | TBS Stories

Most Read

1
Leepu realised his love for cars from a young age and for the last 40 years, he has transformed, designed and customised hundreds of cars. Photo: Collected
Panorama

'I am not crazy about cars anymore': Nizamuddin Awlia Leepu

2
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo
Economy

IMF approves $4.7 billion loan for Bangladesh, calls for ambitious reforms

3
Belal Ahmed new acting chairman of SIBL
Banking

Belal Ahmed new acting chairman of SIBL

4
Fund cut as Dhaka's fast-track transit projects on slow spending lane
Infrastructure

Fund cut as Dhaka's fast-track transit projects on slow spending lane

5
Photo: Collected
Startups

ShopUp secures $30m debt financing to boost expansion, supply chain

6
Photo: Courtesy
Panorama

From 'Made in Bangladesh' to 'Designed in Bangladesh'

EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2023
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net