Epidemiological Surveillance of COVID-19 Outbreak in Bangladesh: A Public Health Concern

Abstract

Bangladesh has been going through the coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from March 08, 2020. The aim of this study is to investigate the epidemiological status of Bangladesh till July 31, 2020. Methods: The epidemical data of COVID-19 outbreak in Bangladesh was evaluated and compared with the most ten COVID-19 affected countries of the world and six selected South Asian countries. Results: The overall SARS-CoV-2 infection rate in Bangladesh was 1398 cases/million people where women were less susceptible to the infection than men. The north-east region of the country is more infected by SARS-CoV-2, while Dhaka is assumed to be the most vulnerable zone in terms of the rate of infection. The COVID-19 progression in Bangladesh was almost at the same speed as the most affected countries of the world. However, the mortality rate of Bangladesh was lower than that of the studied COVID-19 affected countries. Conclusion: Bangladesh is the third most affected country in South Asia. It is assumed that the upcoming weeks would also be critical for Bangladesh. This study will significantly contribute in preventing further outbreak of COVID-19 in Bangladesh.