Over 100 people have died of coronavirus so far with nearly 3,000 people infected with the deadly virus in the country, as the pandemic disease has already spread to around 50 districts.

Health experts have advised people to stay home, follow home quarantine and other health rules and maintain social distance to prevent the spread of the virus.

“Coronavirus has spread to around 50 districts in the country,” said Nasima Sultana, Additional Director General (admin) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

A total of 2,779 samples have been tested, 492 new Covid-19 patients detected and deaths of 10 more people confirmed in the last 24 hours till 8am on Monday, she said.

She disclosed the information while addressing a regular online health bulletin of the DGHS.

“A total of 2,948 people have so far been diagnosed with coronavirus infection from 26,604 samples. A total of 101 Covid-19 patients have died so far in the country,” she added.

However, the DGHS official further said 10 more corona patients have recovered from the disease so far, raising the total recovery figure to 85.

She said that the latest deaths include eight males and two females — five from Dhaka, four from Narayanganj and one from Narsingdi.

Among the newly-infected patients, 19.5 percent are from Gazipur, 13.5 percent from Kishoreganj and 6 percent from Narsingdi. Many of them are from Dhaka city and Narayanganj, Dr Nasima added.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque said in a health bulletin on Sunday that the number of daily infected people went up to three hundred and that it would be mere luck for Bangladesh if the number does not go further high.

“If the number of coronavirus cases increases then it will be matter of concern for us as new people are being infected and the community transmission has increased,” he said.

Referring Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s statement, he said the coronavirus situation of Bangladesh is still better than other countries as the country has taken early preparations to deal with the situation.

“We are now in the seventh week of coronavirus infection when several lakhs of people have been infected in Europe and America and several thousands died there,” he added.

Saif Ullah Munshi, chairman of Virology Department at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), told the daily sun, “As the number of Covid-19 patients has been increasing day by day, people who bear symptoms of the disease should be tested immediately.”

He also said the authorities should arrange necessary medicines for Covid-19 patients and make the anti-viral drugs available in the market of the country.

“People must follow the health rules, maintain social distance and wear masks to avoid coronavirus infection,” the virologist added.

Sharif Jamil, Buriganga Riverkeeper, environment activist and General Secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), said, “We do not know the actual number of infected people. We only know the people by far could be identified. To me, it looks like the virus is now everywhere.”

“If the government doesn’t take harder steps to lock down and isolate infected people, everything will fall apart one day very soon. Doctors, police, administration, everywhere people will be either infected or revolting,” he added.

Referring experts, Zahid said however that 80 percent of coroanvirus infected patients do not need treatment while 15 percent patients remain under observation in hospitals and only five percent patients needs some treatments and ventilation facilities.

Mentioning that the coronavirus is spreading to various districts across the country from Dhaka and Narayanganj, he said many people were not following the government’s instructions to stay home during the lockdown and that many people were going from the coronavirus-ridden infected areas to non-infected areas.

The health minister has also urged people to strictly follow Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s directives and to stay at home during the lockdown till April 25 in a bid to check the community transmission and asked people to have more tests so that the government can get a chance to control the spread of Covid-19.

According to the DGHS, 2,762 Covid-19 patients are now undergoing treatment in different hospitals and homes of the respective patients while 75,747 people in home quarantine, 4655 in hospitals and other institutional quarantine and 713 in isolation in the country.