Bangladesh: First Rohingya refugee dies in Cox's Bazar due to COVID-19

Large number of Rohingya Muslims have been staying in the camps in Bangladesh since fleeing Myanmar.

A 71-years-old Rohingya man died in an isolation facility run by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) outside the camps in Ukhiya, according to an official of an international organization, reported Dhaka Tribune.

"We have bad news. A 71-years-old Rohingya male died from Covid-19 on Sunday, but the result of his test came on Monday. This is the first death in the camps," Dr Mahbubur Rahman, civil surgeon of Cox's Bazar, told Dhaka Tribune.

To a question, the civil surgeon told the newspaper that so far 29 of about one million Rohingyas from Myanmar sheltered in 34 camps have been infected with the virus that causes Covid-19.  

The Rohingya camps reported its first case of COVID-19 infection on May 14.

Nine more people, who came in the contact of the with the deceased person, have been sent to isolation.

Talking to Dhaka Tribune, Dr Abu Toha MRH Bhuiyan, health coordinator of the Refugee, Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, said samples from the deceased were sent to Cox’s Bazar Medical College for testing. The test results that came on Tuesday confirmed that he was Covid-19 positive.

The deceased person was buried maintaining all COVID-19 guidelines.