Reconsider decision on lockdown

The National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 has warned the government that the pandemic might take a terrible toll as businesses have been allowed to resume at a time when infection rate and death are still at an alarming stage.

It suggested the government to review its decision and extend the lockdown for 1 to 2 more weeks.

The recommendation came in a press statement signed by committee head Mohamamd Shahidullah on Friday.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque said restrictions were lifted considering people’s livelihoods and to avoid an economic decline.

At a virtual session on the National Mourning Day organised by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University he also urged everyone to follow health guidelines.

“Now we have to rely on hygiene, vaccines and masks,” said the health minister.

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in its regular press release said it has recorded 178 new coronavirus-related deaths and 6,885 positive cases in the last 24 hours till 8am on Saturday.

The country’s overall caseload now stands at 14,12,218 while total fatalities are 23,988.

Meantime, the positivity rate dropped to 20.66 per cent from Friday’s 22.46 per cent.

The health authorities reported the latest figures after testing 33,330 samples at 708 laboratories across the country. However, the death rate increased to 1.70 per cent maintaining an upward trend.

Meanwhile, 7,805 patients recovered from the deadly infection raising the overall recovery to 12,81,327.

Among the fresh fatalities, 109 were males and 69 were females.

Dhaka division was the worst-hit region, logging 67 deaths followed by 45 in Chattogram, 23 in Khulna, 14 in Rajshahi, 11 in Sylhet, 7 in Barishal, 6 in Rangpur and 5 in Mymensingh.

Bangladesh reported its first Covid-19 case on March 8 last year and the first coronavirus-related death on March 18 the same year.

After a 19-day nationwide strict lockdown, the government reopened businesses on Wednesday.