Coronavirus & what Rohingya refugees need to know
Podcast with Dr Hla Kyaw Khubybe
Update 8th March: 3 cases of confirmed Coronavirus infections found in Bangladesh.
News of the coronavirus or COVID-19 has dominated headlines throughout the world. Yet in the Rohingya refugee camps of Bangladesh, with internet access barred because of a recent government order, knowledge and information about the virus is very limited. The camps are located in south eastern Bangladesh, a district with fragile public health care facilities. The camps are also overcrowded, and lack proper sanitation and decent healthcare facilities. COVID-19 therefore represents a real risk to the refugee population.
There are as yet no confirmed cases of COVID-19 within Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has taken certain measures including setting up coronavirus sample collection points in all 64 districts and 29 ports of entry. Additionally, Bangladesh is not issuing “on arrival” visas to Chinese nationals. However it has not banned entry to foreign nationals who have visited China. Bangladesh also, to its credit, accepted the…
