Covid cases are rising as new variant strikes Bangladesh

Photo shows a health worker inside a kiosk is collecting nasal swab from a potential patient. Photo: Collected

Mask Mandates to be Reinstated as New Covid-19 Variant Surfaces in Bangladesh

Experts are urging the return of mask mandates in Bangladesh as the country grapples with a surge in Covid-19 cases linked to the spread of a new variant. On January 18, the government's disease monitoring arm, IEDCR, confirmed the presence of the sub-variant JN.1, a strain of Omicron, just a month after it was labeled a "variant of interest" by the World Health Organization.

The JN.1 variant is characterized by its rapid spread but is reported to cause less severe illness. Out of six samples tested, five were positive for JN.1, prompting health authorities to encourage increased testing by instructing relevant stakeholders to submit samples.

Dr. Tahmina Shireen, the director of IEDCR, emphasized the importance of wearing masks and avoiding crowds as mandatory measures for Covid-19 prevention. Encouragingly, she noted that the existing vaccine remains effective against the new variant, prompting the government to initiate a vaccination campaign, including a fourth dose for those who had received the booster.

Despite initial success in managing the pandemic, with over two million people testing positive and nearly 30,000 deaths since March 2020, the country is witnessing a resurgence of cases with the emergence of the new variant. In the last 24 hours alone, 34 new cases were reported, with a case detection rate of 8.7%.

Medical specialist Dr. Rashedul Hassan Kanak advised the public to resume wearing masks, citing observations of patients recovering from Covid-19 symptoms. Although the new variant's impact appears mild, he stressed the importance of not ignoring the situation.

The government has announced a new Covid-19 inoculation campaign with the ambitious target of administering 25 million shots in 2024 and 2025. Dr. M Mushtaq Hussain, an advisor to IEDCR, emphasized the need for masks, especially in hospitals, and urged adherence to health and hygiene rules, including handwashing and social distancing.

While it remains unknown if the JN.1 variant produces different symptoms than other variants, the US CDC suggests that Covid-19 symptoms generally remain similar across variants. Dr. Hussain reassured the public that the new variant is mild but cautioned that elderly individuals and those with chronic diseases may still be vulnerable.

The CDC noted the constant evolution of the virus causing Covid-19, with the emergence of new variants potentially impacting transmission. While JN.1's continued growth suggests increased transmissibility, there is currently no evidence indicating an elevated risk or severity compared to other circulating variants, according to the CDC.