After two months of restrictions, 142 cases of the virus and 56 related deaths, Uganda is now lifting its Ebola lockdown while continuing to stay on high alert. Uganda lifted all its Ebola-related restrictions on movement on Saturday, after a two-month lockdown. "Currently, there is no transmission, no contact under follow-up, no patients in the isolation facilities, and we are progressing well with the count down," President Yoweri Museveni said in a statement. The virus has killed 56 people and infected 142 since September when authorities announced the outbreak. In October, Ugandan authorities announced curfew and travel restrictions and shut down places of worship and entertainment. The country has now made progress on curbing the deadly virus which is known to kill 40%-60% of the people it infects. It discharged its last Ebola patient earlier this month. The move comes after Uganda's local leaders appealed to the government to lift the lockdown, considering it has had a severe impact on businesses.  Vaccine update Ebola, which spreads through exposure to an infected person's bodily fluids, causes vomiting, diarrhea and bleeding. While there is no proven vaccine to prevent the deadly virus, Uganda received its first shipment of trial vaccines earlier this month. The country plans to test the vaccine on contacts and contact's contacts of Ebola patients along with frontline health care workers. Despite the relaxation of lockdown rules, Ugandan authorities remain on high alert for a resurgence of cases, Museveni said in his statement. 

Health Minister Zahid Maleque said, the government is not considering about imposing lockdown in the country at the moment, because the situation has not been created at that level. He delivered the information after participating the interministerial meeting at the Secretariat over the issue of spreading Omicron-the new coronavirus variant in the country. The minister said, the meeting was arranged so that we need not to impose lockdown. He also emphasized on the steps needed for preventing coronavirus or the Omicron variant transmission. He also urged people to abide by the health guidelines. Zahid Maleque said, nobody would be allowed to take meal at the restaurants without receiving Covid vaccine. The hotel authorities would entertain the customer after watching the vaccine certificate. Otherwise the hotel owners will be fined. In this regard gazette will be issued within next 15 days. He said, at the current moment the government is not considering the matter of imposing lockdown because the situation has not been created. The minister also said that discussion was held over plying of buses keeping less passengers than the number seats in a bus. The minister also informed that vaccination program for the students at their institutions will be strengthened and measures will be taken in this regard. AH

The government has issued a notification easing the ongoing strict restrictions on Covid -19 pandemic , considering the overall condition of the country. The Cabinet Division issued the notification today (August 8), which would come into effect from Wednesday (August 11). All the government, semi-government and non-government offices, autonomous bodies, banks and financial institutions will remain open from August 11, following health safety guidelines and other rules, set by the government. According to the notification, Bangladesh Supreme Court will issue necessary instructions on subordinated courts. Public transports can carry passengers within their respective capacities on road, rail route and waterways. Regarding the transport movement on roads, local administrations (divisional commissioners in city corporation areas and deputy commissioners at district level) can allow half of their total public transport to run. Shopping malls, markets and shops will remain open every day from 10 am to 8 pm. All the industries and factories will also remain open. Keeping half seats vacant, hotels and restaurants will remain open from 10 am to 8 pm. Mask use must be ensured at all levels  with following health safety protocols. If any negligence is found in following the health guidelines in public transport and different offices, markets and bazars, legal action will be taken against the violators . Considering the overall condition of the country, the notification said, the ongoing strict restrictions were relaxed to keep the country’s socioeconomic activities smooth. Source: BSS AH

Troops were set to hit the streets of Sydney on Monday to enforce its prolonged lockdown, as stay-at-home orders in Australia's third-largest city Brisbane were extended to curb a worsening outbreak. About 300 Australian Defence Force personnel will be deployed in Sydney after New South Wales state police requested military help to enforce Covid-19 rules. Authorities have been struggling to stop the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant in Sydney -- and ensure that residents follow containment rules -- with more than 3,600 cases recorded since mid-June. "Police officers will be assisted by ADF personnel as they deliver food parcels, conduct welfare door-knocks and go through compliance checks of stay-at-home and self-isolation orders," NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said Saturday. More than five million people in Australia's biggest city and surrounding areas are entering their sixth week of a lockdown set to run until the end of August. Residents are only allowed to leave their homes for exercise, essential work, medical reasons, and to shop for necessities such as food. But compliance has been patchy and police have increasingly been doling out fines to those violating the restrictions. The defence force said the latest deployment was in addition to the 250 military personnel already working at hotels and airports in New South Wales. Meanwhile, millions of people in Brisbane and several surrounding regions will remain under lockdown until Sunday after an "escalating" outbreak there grew to 29 cases. Those stay-at-home orders had been scheduled to lift on Tuesday. "That will make it an 8-day lockdown. And we desperately hope that that will be sufficient for our contact tracers to get into home quarantine absolutely anyone who could have been exposed to the Delta strain," acting Queensland state premier Steven Miles said. The outbreak was linked to a Brisbane school student, with pupils and teachers at several schools subsequently placed into isolation. With about 14 percent of Australia's 25 million people fully vaccinated, authorities are still relying on lockdowns to slow the spread of the virus. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has outlined a long road out of restrictions -- setting a target of 80 percent of the eligible population to be fully vaccinated before borders are reopened and lockdowns eliminated. Australia has recorded more than 34,000 cases and 925 deaths so far during the pandemic. Source: AFP/BSS AH

The ongoing lockdown has been relaxed due to Eid ul Azha though infections and deaths due to coronavirus transmission were increasing. In this period everything was operational including markets and public transports under strict conditions. Then again the 14-day lockdown has begun from 6 am today (Friday). It will continue till 12 am on August 5. From the morning law enforcement agency members are seen active in the capital. As the day is a weekly holiday after Eid, so streets were less crowded. In this regard State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain earlier said that to ensure countrywide lockdown Police, BGB and Army will be available in the field level. This time local administration will play stricter role to ensure the restrictions. According to the shipping ministry sources transportation of all types of automobiles except those of emergency goods laden vehicles and ambulances will be barred to board on the ferries. Besides, raw hide sectors, food producing factories and industrials units related to Covid-19 preventive materials and medicines production will be out of the purview of the restrictions. Additionally, banking activities will be operational on a limited scale starting from July 25 (Sunday). Moreover, insurance company offices and share markets will remain open. From Sunday banking transactions will be operational from 10 am to 1:30 pm. By maintaining coordination share market transactions will be done from 10 am to 1 pm. Corporate offices of the insurance companies will remain open from 10 am to 3 pm. AH 

The government has extended the ongoing lockdown till midnight of July 14 by enhancing more seven days from July 7, said a cabinet division release in Dhaka today (Monday). “The ongoing curb has been extended till July 14 midnight, increasing seven more days from July 7 midnight, considering the present worst novel corona virus situation,” the official release elaborated. All the previous instructions will remain effective during the extended lockdown period. Even, the government has asked the concerned authorities including the armed forces division to take necessary actions during this time. Earlier, the government had decided to impose a nationwide weeklong complete lockdown from July 1. Under the restrictions, public transport movement will remain suspended whereas factories, especially export-oriented ones, are likely to be exempted from the curb. The banks are also likely to operate on a limited scale. No one will be allowed to leave home without emergency reasons, according to the restrictions, adding that the army would be called in to assist the police and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) troopers to enforce the 'strict lockdown'. Furthermore, all government and private offices will remain closed during the lockdown. All kinds of transports, except those carrying emergency supplies, will remain suspended during the lockdown. However, ambulances and vehicles used for healthcare services and media would be exempted from the curbs. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 death toll in Bangladesh crossed 15,065 on Sunday, with the health authorities reporting 153 new fatalities. It took only 15 days for the toll to rise by 1,000, according to the media report. The total caseload reached 9,44,917 as 8,661 new infections were reported. Source: BSS AH

A week-long strict lockdown to tackle the spread of Corona virus continues for the fourth consecutive day across the country as Police, army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel have been working to enforce the tight curb. The law enforcement agencies are seen patrolling different city roads since the morning while check posts also have been set up at several places in the capital.   Police arrested 550 people on the first day of the ongoing lockdown, while the mobile courts fined 182 people Tk 1,32,395 across the country. A total of 621 people were arrested from the capital and 346 people were fined Tk 1,06,450 on the third day of the ongoing lockdown (Saturday, July 3) for disobeying government orders during a joint operation of 8 divisions of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Also, the RAB’s executive magistrates conducted 31 mobile courts across the country and fined 277 people around 2 lakh Tk across the country for violating the ban on the same day. According to the RAB headquarters, the elite force is in the field all over the country to enforce the ongoing restrictions and increase public awareness. To curb the spread of Covid-19, the Cabinet Division imposed a week-long restriction on the overall activities and movement of the citizens' from July 1. In case of emergency, one must wear a mask and maintain the social distancing while going outside. Source: BSS AH

Director of the Legal and Media Wing of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Commander Khandaker Al Moin today (Saturday) said special operation would be conducted in local areas (para-mohollah) from now on to enforce the strict restrictions announced by the government to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country. "The special operation will be conducted from today as part of RAB’s ongoing measures to prevent the spread of the deadly virus,” he said. He said this while talking to journalists in a press briefing after inspecting the activities of RAB at Russel Square in the capital. "Many people are going outside without wearing facemasks properly despite the strict lockdown enforced by the government. We are taking punitive action against them as well as creating awareness about wearing facemasks properly," he added. He added that the RAB has so far operated more than 400 mobile courts across the country and imposed fines of more than Taka 4 lakh for disobeying government restrictions. Action has already been taken against those, who did not follow hygiene rules by conducting regular patrols across the country, he said. RAB also installed more than four hundred additional check posts in the country, he added. He urged all people of the neighborhood to follow the proper hygiene rules for public safety. The RAB commander advised all not to gather in public places such as tea stalls, shops and other places to stop community transmission of the lethal virus. "If people do not obey government restrictions, we will take action through mobile court," he added. Source: BSS AH

 Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today (Thursday) called upon the country’s people to accept their temporary sufferings during the strict lockdown enforced from today to contain coronavirus infections. He made the call while speaking at a press briefing on contemporary issues at his official residence in the capital. Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said since the coronavirus infection reached an alarming level, the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has decided to impose a strict lockdown as per the advice of experts. “This lockdown is urgent for protecting lives,” he added. Urging the private and charitable organisations and affluent people to come forward to help the destitute and jobless people during the lockdown, he said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been leading the country in various calamities and crises, and she always takes the right decisions to this end. The AL general secretary said the country witnessed over 100 daily COVID-19 deaths and high rate of infections in the last few days, which indicates a dire situation, and there is no alternative to the highest degree of awareness to prevent coronavirus. “As a nation, now and again, we faced hard times in the past,” he said, adding: “We will pass this difficult test too under the humane and kind leadership of Sheikh Hasina, InshaAllah. This darkness will go away and good days will come. But, before that, we have to build a fort of caution at household level.” Quader said now it is necessary to be united keeping patience to overcome this COVID-19 crisis. “That’s why all should face the second wave of coronavirus through health awareness being inspired by the 'mantra of unity,” he said. Many destitute and working people have fallen in crisis induced by lockdown and the government has given importance to this issue, he said, adding that the government has taken proper initiatives to minimise their suffering. Asking the authorities concerned and the party leaders and workers to remain alert so that the lower-income and floating people get relief materials, the AL general secretary said: “If necessary, relief goods must be reached to every house and people should be made aware of coronavirus through campaign so that cent percent of them wear masks.”   About the Holy Artisan Bakery attack, Quader said a group of extremists carried out the attack on the Gulshan Holy Artisan Bakery on this day in 2016. He said though the poisonous teeth of communalism have already been removed, it cannot be said that this evil force has been completely eradicated. Communal extremism has become a barrier to the development journey of the country, the AL general secretary said, adding: “We are committed to establishing a science-minded modern state and Sonar Bangla, dreamt by Bangabandhu, through eradication of communalism under the leadership of Bangabandhu's daughter, Sheikh Hasina.” He said the AL along with the country’s people is moving forward to materialise this pledge. Source: BSS AH

Earlier the government decided to impose ‘strict lockdown’ starting from Monday (June 28), but after passing one day they have changed their decision. After holding a high level meeting it was announced that the all out lock down across the country will be effective from Thursday (July 1). A circular will be issued from the cabinet division in this regard. The meeting in the virtual platform was held with home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal in the chair. The lockdown will continue just for one week. AH