As the coronavirus outbreak quickly surges worldwide, many countries are adopting non-therapeutic preventive measures, which include travel bans, remote office activities, country lockdown, and most importantly, social distancing. However, these measures face challenges in Bangladesh, a lower-middle-income economy with one of the world's densest populations. Social distancing is difficult in many areas of the country, and with the minimal resources the country has, it would be extremely challenging to implement the mitigation measures. Mobile sanitization facilities and temporary quarantine sites and healthcare facilities could help mitigate the impact of the pandemic at a local level. A prompt, supportive, and empathic collaboration between the Government, citizens, and health experts, along with international assistance, can enable the country to minimize the impact of the pandemic.

Introduction

With the outbreak of novel coronavirus-2 (nCoV-2) declared a pandemic and an international public health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO), the entire world is working to address it. It is a rapidly evolving and emerging situation. In <5 months after the first emergence of the virus in December 2019, nearly two million people in 185 countries around the globe have been identified as confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (1). Researchers across the world are working hard to understand better the biology of nCoV-2 and the epidemiology of the novel coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). The estimated basic reproductive number of the virus is significantly higher than many other infectious diseases, and this can potentially result in the capacity of health facilities becoming overwhelmed, even in the countries that have the most developed healthcare systems (2). An estimated 20% of cases lead to clinically serious and complex conditions. With some sporadic cases of serious illness in younger individuals, adults >60 years of age and with co-morbid conditions make up the most vulnerable group.

There are as yet no vaccines or antiviral drugs approved for the disease, and hence, non-therapeutic interventions to control the spread of the virus are the most effective measures to control the disease (3). Worldwide, billions of people are staying at home to minimize the transmission of the virus. Many countries are adopting preventive measures, e.g., remote office activities, international travel bans, mandatory lockdowns, and social distancing. Bangladesh, a lower-middle-income country and one of the world's most densely populated areas, is struggling to combat the spread of the disease. In this write-up, we briefly articulate the current scenario of COVID-19 in Bangladesh and provide some recommendations on how the country can combat this pandemic.

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