Health Minister Zahid Maleque today said the number of Covid-19 testing labs will be increased if the number of passengers at Dhaka airport go up.

He came up with the information after inspecting Covid-19 testing facilities for Dubai-bound passengers at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital this afternoon.

He said, "We are trying to improve things. The healthcare system has improved. Fatality rate due to Covid-19 is now 1 or 2%."

Around 50 percent of the targeted population have been vaccinated, he said, adding the number of deaths and infections have decreased.

He added that Bangladesh has a positive image abroad and there are no restrictions on Bangladeshis anywhere.

About the new Covid-19 variant, he said, "All are concerned about Omicron. We're also on alert but we will not panic. We came to know that the variant spreads rapidly but its symptoms are less… the symptoms are not severe like the Delta variant."

"We will inform when we will get the full report from World Health Organization on Omicron. Till then, you have to be on alert. Many people do not want to take vaccine, so we urge them to get inoculated. We have currently four crore Covid-19 vaccines. There is no shortage of vaccine," the health minister said.

Replying to a query from a journalist, he said, "Local administration is working to trace the 240 people who returned from African countries. We will locate them."

The government will be strict on the matter, he said and added, "Many people are irresponsible. We know that the returnees left their hotels and visited different places and went to their homes. So, we will go for a tougher stance."

About the booster dose of Covid-19, he said, "We have made announcement about the booster dose. This matter needs a plan. After that, we will start the work."