Will the number of Covid tests drop during Eid holidays?

Health experts say there is a possibility that the number of new Covid-19 cases will go down in the next few days since fewer people may go for tests during the Eid-ul-Azha holidays.

Talking to Dhaka Tribune, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Additional Director General Nasima Sultana said: “There is no strict government order to keep the centres open during the holidays, but we have requested all private and public testing facilities to continue operations since Bangladesh recorded the highest number of cases in July.”

She said that emergency health services remain open during government holidays on a limited scale, and therefore, the Covid-19 testing facilities will remain open as well.

“Private hospitals and health care providers are collecting samples as well but those will run as per their authority’s decision during the Eid holidays,” she told the correspondent.

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In July, the health authorities conducted 30,000 to 40,000 tests on average every day.

The number of tests conducted in different labs came down to half during the Eid-ul-Fitr in mid-May this year.

On May 14, only 7,567 samples were collected in different centres across the country while 7,835 samples tested in 459 testing facilities.

Just a day before, on May 13, the number of collected samples was 13,424. On that day, 13,471 samples were tested in the 459 testing facilities.

On May 15, the number of tests and collected samples stood at 3,758 and 3,687.

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A week later, on May 22, the number of tests stood at 12,230.

Khulna Civil Surgeon Dr Niaz Muhammad told Dhaka Tribune that there would be no disruptions in operations at the sample collection centres during the holidays. Some private testing facilities will remain open as well but the hours will be different.

Praava Health Head of Communications Kutub Uddin Kamal told Dhaka Tribune that they would remain open from 9am to 5pm on all the three days during the Eid.