COVID-19 and the Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh: The Challenges and Recommendations

The current situation of global pandemic COVID-19 can put the 1.1 million Rohingya refugees, living in Bangladesh, in a substantially vulnerable position. A poor, overcrowded living condition, limited access to safe drinking water and health services, and a restricted communication system have substantially increased the risk of rapid spread of COVID-19 in these refugee camps. As COVID-19 infection has already been reported in Bangladesh, this infection will inevitably proliferate among this segregated and neglected community. Thus, in this short report, we describe the current challenges Rohingya refugee camps are facing and suggest possible prevention measures to avoid COVID-19 in these vulnerable areas.