World's 2nd largest coronavirus hospital opens in Bangladesh

The world's second-largest hospital dedicated to treating coronavirus patients opened its doors on Sunday at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in capital Dhaka. Health Minister Zahid Maleque inaugurated the 2,000-bed isolation unit around noon, reports UNB. "It's the second-largest hospital in the world dedicated to treating coronavirus patients," he said. The hospital has 2,013 isolation beds. Among them, oxygen cylinders have been attached to 71 beds. It also has at least 400 more portable oxygen cylinders. Earlier on April 9, the Health Minister informed about the decision of setting up a 2,000-bed isolation unit at ICCB. While visiting the Isolation Unit at ICCB on April 29, he also informed that more than 20,000 coronavirus isolation beds were ready across the country. On the other hand, 1,300 beds at the DNCC Market and 1,200 at Uttara Diabari are now fully ready. Besides, 601 more institutions in districts and upazilas, including the capital, are ready for use as coronavirus isolation centers. In total, over 20,000 isolation beds have now been set up in the country to deal with, the Minister said. The coronavirus situation has been worsening as Bangladesh continues to report hundreds of new cases for the last few days. Bangladesh on Sunday confirmed 1,273 new coronavirus cases, taking the number of total cases to 22,268. The death toll has surged to 328 with 14 new ones. Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan sent a written proposal to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to construct a makeshift a hospital at the ICCB. Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir formally tendered the proposal to Prime Minister's Principal Secretary Dr Ahmed Kaikaus at the PMO. The premier accepted the proposal instantly. Sayem Sobhan Anvir also donated Tk 10 crore to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.