DHAKA: Bangladesh government has received 500 ‘Real-time PCR kits’ from the Chinese government to detect coronavirus.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming handed over the kits to Bangladesh’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque at the Secretariat in Dhaka on Tuesday (Feb 25).

“The Bangladesh government has donated some medical equipment to China as a goodwill gesture and the Chinese government, in return, has donated the kits to detect coronavirus,” Zahid Maleque said while talking to reporters after receiving the kits.

The minister also said: “No coronavirus case has yet been detected in Bangladesh which is good for the country. Our medical teams are working at all the airports and land ports to screen those coming from abroad to prevent the entry of the virus into the country.” 

Meanwhile, China reported 508 new cases on Tuesday (Feb 25) in an outbreak of the coronavirus that has spread to other parts of Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

Another 71 deaths were reported in mainland China, 68 of them in the city of Wuhan, where the epidemic has been concentrated.

The updates bring mainland China's totals to 77,658 cases and 2,663 deaths. 

BDST: 1946 HRS, FEB 25, 2020
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