PCR machine to detect Covid-19 reaches Bogura’s Ziaur Rahman hospital

Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College will begin testing coronavirus samples next week as it received the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machine this morning.

"We are preparing a lab for testing samples for Covid-19 at our microbiology department. We need three or four days to set up all the necessary equipment for performing the tests," said Rezaul Alam, principal of the medical college.

"We will install the PCR machine that we received today and will start the tests next week," he said.

"The PCR machine is capable of testing samples of 96 persons every six hours, but due to shortage of manpower we will test 30-40 samples in a day," he added.

Meanwhile, a 50-year-old man who tested positive for the virus is undergoing treatment at the Covid-19 designated 250-bed Mohammad Ali Hospital in Bogura town, our local correspondent reports.

Currently, there are other five patients with coronavirus-like symptoms receiving treatment at the isolation centre of the same hospital. They were admitted to hospital on March 29.

"So far, we admitted 15 patients on suspicion of coronavirus and later 14 of those tested negative. The other person is receiving treatment in the hospital," said Shafiue Amin Kajal, residential medical officer (RMO) of Mohammad Ali Hospital.

Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College. Photo: STAR

"If the testing for Covid-19 detection starts at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College, then we will get the result in quickly," said Kajal.

People of the adjacent districts -- Joypurhat, Naogaon, Sirajganj, Gaibandha -- will get the benefit, he added.