Dataful, the first Bangladeshi data-based content portal, has created a data visual on deaths with Covid-19 symptoms in the country.

The visual titled ‘Covid-19: Mapping the Numbers in Bangladesh’ shows a comprehensive picture of the deaths with coronavirus symptoms in 64 districts of the country, Dataful said in a press release on Friday.

Former Dhaka University vice-chancellor Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique unveiled it at an online programme in the morning.

Top public health expert Dr Benazir Ahmed, virologist Dr Nazrul Islam, senior journalist Shahriar Karim and Joint Editor of Desh Rupantor Gazi Nasiruddin Ahmed spoke on the occasion.

Bangladesh has so far recorded 394,827 coronavirus cases with 5,747 deaths. Globally, the number of officially confirmed cases exceeded 41 million with over 1 million deaths. Health experts say the real number is much higher.

Professor Arefin lauded the initiative saying it would benefit not only the media and journalists but also the policy makers.

“Numbers are a big force today. With accurate data, it becomes easier for the government and those concerned to make decisions,” he said.

The former DU VC called for increasing the use of data in public health management in Bangladesh.

Former DGHS director Dr Benazir said different types of research are needed on coronavirus. He mentioned the need to add the death toll to the confirmed Covid-19 number in the data visual.

Dr Nazrul, the former VC of BSMMU, asked the media to maintain caution in publishing news on symptom-related issues.

Gazi Nasiruddin Ahmed concurred and spoke of the need for a guideline for news gathering during a pandemic.

Dataful's project lead Palash Datta said they would update the visual regularly based on the new data.

The data visual created with the help of Dutch organisation Free Press Unlimited can be viewed at: https://bdcorona.info

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