Covid Spread: IEDCR finds 17 high-risk thanas in city

Covid Spread: IEDCR finds 17 high-risk thanas in city

At least 17 thanas in the capital are at high risk of Covid-19 transmission, says government data.

When the Covid-19 infection rate in the country is 13.65 percent, at least 17 spots in the capital witnessed a positivity rate above 30 percent.

For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
According to the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), 23 other areas have a positivity rate above 20 percent.

Officials said the infection rate above 30 percent means highly risky and above 20 percent means medium risky and those can turn highly risky anytime.

Data were analysed from March 27 to April 2 in both the city corporation areas. The data was collected and then the residents of the areas were reconfirmed via phone calls.

"Analysing the information, it was found that Dhaka's Rupnagar and Adabar thanas are the riskiest. Positivity rate was 46 and 44 percent respectively," the IEDCR report said.

"It is tough to enforce zonal lockdown in Dhaka but we have good examples of Tolerbagh and Razabazar. Those two were successful.

"Seeing the data, the authorities can think of taking special measures in those areas," Mushtaq Hossain, an adviser to the IEDCR, told.

He also said community mobilisation can play a vital role in tackling transmission in any specific area.

"Local lawmakers and ward councilors can take action based on this information," he suggested.

A total of 14,332 tests were conducted in the Dhaka South City Corporation area where 5,103 were infected. The infection rate was 36 percent.

On the other hand, a total of 36,771 tests were done in the Dhaka North City Corporation area where 10,483 were tested positive. The infection rate was 29 percent.

Places with a positivity rate above 30 percent included Rupnagar, Adabar, Shah Ali, Rampura, Turag, Mirpur, Kalabagan, Tejgaon, Mohammadpur, Mugda, Ganderia, Dhanmondi, Hazaribagh, Newmarket, Chawk Bazar, Sabujbagh, Motijheel, Darus Salam, and Khilgaon.

Places with an infection positivity rate above 20 percent included Shahbagh, Bangshal, Lalbagh, Shahjahanpur, Ramna, Kamrangirchar, Shyampur, Badda, Banani, Uttarkhan, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Sutrapur, Jayrabari, Pallabi, Kafrul, Demra, Wari, Bhatara, Dakkhin Khan, Khilkhet, Kadamtali, and Paltan.

The current positivity rate is 20.49 percent while the total positivity rate stands at 13.65 percent.

mj/