Nearly half of Dhaka dwellers exposed to COVID-19: Study

GBNEWS24 DESK//

Forty-five percent dwellers in Dhaka city have been infected with the coronavirus, according to a study.

Of them, the highest 24 percent was from above 60 age group.

Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), and the ICDDR,B, jointly conducted the research.

The findings were revealed at a programme at a city hotel on Monday.

Analysing the genom data, researchers assumed that the first transmission of COVID-19 likely began in the mid February.

About three fourths of the slum dwellers have already been exposed to the virus, and 45 percent of city dwellers were asymptotic patients, said the research.Researchers and scientists of IEDCR and ICDDR,B presented the research results in the programme with Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) additional director general Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora in the chair. Health Minister Zahid Maleque joined the programme online.

A total of 3,227 households in 25 wards, out of 129, under two city corporations were surveyed under the study.

Samples from households were collected from mid April to mid July while from the slums dwellers from July to August.