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15,000 Rohingya under quarantine as coronavirus cases rise
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At least 15,000 Rohingya refugees are under quarantine in Bangladesh’s vast camps, as the number of confirmed coronavirus infections there rose to 29.
Health experts have long warned that the virus could race through the cramped settlements, housing almost a million Rohingya who fled violence in Myanmar, and officials had restricted movement in the area in April.
Despite this, the first cases in the camps were detected in mid-May.
“None of the infections are critical. Most hardly show any symptoms. Still, we have brought them in isolation centres and quarantined their families,” Toha Bhuiyan, a senior health official in the surrounding Cox’s Bazar area told AFP news agency on Monday.
He said narrow roads to three camp districts – where the majority of the infections were detected – have been blocked off by authorities.
The 15,000 Rohingya inside these so-called blocks faced further restrictions on their movement, he said.
This comes as charity workers expressed fears over being infected in the camps as they worked without adequate protection.
Two of the areas under isolation are in Kutupalong camp, home to roughly 600,000 Rohingya.
“We are trying to scale up testing as fast as possible to make sure that we can trace out all the infected people and their contacts,” Bhuiyan said.
Seven isolation centres with the capacity to treat more than 700 COVID-19 patients have been prepared, he said, with officials hoping to have just under 2,000 by the end of May.
But, according to Nay San Lwin, co-founder of Free Rohingya Coalition, there are not enough ICU beds and ventilators available for refugees and the local community in Cox’s Bazar region.
Mahbubur Rahman, chief health official of Cox’s Bazar, said authorities hoped this week they would double the number of tests being performed daily, which stand at 188.
He said further entry restrictions have been imposed on the camp, with a 14-day quarantine in place for anyone visiting from Dhaka.
-AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES
Mr. Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin has announced private sector led initiative that will see “Visit Ghana” on the “front of jersey” of Sunderland Football Club for the 2026/2027 football season.
The “Visit Ghana” project is a special marketing drive that will have presence on the front of jersey of Sunderland Football Club during the English Premier League.
Under this initiative, Sunderland FC will have on the front of their jerseys, “Visit Ghana” as part of efforts to drive and promote tourism in Ghana.
“We are entering a formal engagement with them to put Visit Ghana on their jerseys and all paraphernalia.
“We have gone far with the discussions, and therefore they usually showing interest,” Mr. Bagbin stated this at the 37th sitting of Parliament.
Mr. Bagbin explained further that, the initiative is not being sponsored by Parliament, but by the private sector adding that, the project will boost tourism in Ghana.
“This is not being sponsored by parliament. Infact the main sponsor is from the private sector, we are leading under my canopy to get this done.
“The GFA, the Ministry of Sports and Recreation and the Ministry of Finance have also been very supportive in this project,” he stated.
The Visit Ghana Front of Shirt Partnership with Sunderland, is expected to make Ghana the first African country to occupy such a position with a premier league club, and also offer global promotion for Ghana through EPL broadcasts, digital platforms and international media channels.
Motorists traveling between Accra and Kumasi are facing major delays today following a serious road crash at Birimso Bridge on the N6 Highway.
The accident, which involved a high-occupancy passenger bus, a loaded articulated truck, and a sedan, has completely blocked both lanes of the highway. As a result, all Accra-bound and Kumasi-bound traffic has been brought to a standstill.
Personnel from the Eastern South Regional Police MTTD, based in Kibi, are currently at the scene managing the situation.
To ease congestion, police have put in place temporary traffic diversions effective today.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
