Daily Covid positivity rate hits 25.11%

Covid-19 infection rate and death toll in Bangladesh continue to increase as daily positive cases reached 9,500 and 12 more people died of the deadly virus in the 24-hour span till Wednesday 8am.

With the latest statistics, the total death toll stands at 2,81,764 and infections at 16,42,294 since the country recorded the first Covid infection on March 8, 2020. The latest day’s test positivity rate is 25.11 per cent.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in a regular press release also said ten of the deceased are male patients, while the remaining two are females.

A total of 37,830 samples have been tested during the reporting period across the country at 855 laboratories,

while Bangladesh had tested a total 1,19,66,289 samples as of January 19.

In the past 24 hours, 473 patients recovered from the viral disease, and the total number of recoveries stands at 15,54,268.

Eight of the deaths were reported in Dhaka division while two deaths from Chattogram, and one death was reported each from Khulna and Mymensingh divisions.

Positivity rate increases 228%, death toll 185%

Positive cases increased by 228 per cent and death toll increased by 185 per cent in just seven days, said DGHS spokesperson Nazmul Islam in a press conference on Wednesday.

He said in the last seven days, the DGHS detected 34,405 Covid-19 positive patients and 57 deaths, which were 23,931 and 37 higher than last week’s detection and deaths respectively, he said.

12 districts now mark as ‘red zones’

After designating Dhaka and Rangamati as “red-zones,” health authorities on Wednesday marked 10 more districts in the “high-level risk” category in the wake of a rise in Covid infections there.

Besides, 32 districts have been designated as “yellow zones” and 16 as “green zones,” officials said.

The decision was taken following a week-long survey of the Covid situation in Bangladesh. The 10 new districts in “red zones” are Gazipur, Rajshahi, Jashore, Kushtia, Bogura, Dinajpur, Chattogram, Lalmonirhat, Khagrachhari and Panchagarh.

The average infection rate in these districts is 10 per cent. Besides, the infection rate in the capital is 28.11 per cent, while that in Rangamati it is 10.71 per cent.

The DGHS has, in fact, divided the districts of the country into red, yellow and green zones, considering the infection rate of Covid.

The average infection rate in the “yellow zones” is 5 per cent. The 32 districts are Sylhet, Feni, Narayanganj, Noakhali, Cox’s Bazar, Moulvibazar, Faridpur, Munshiganj, Laxmipur, Shariatpur, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Manikganj, Sirajganj, Gopalganj, Rangpur, Jamalpur, Naogaon, Jhenaidah, Natore, Satkhira, Pirojpur, Bagerhat, Magura, Narail, Patuakhali, Kurigram, Joypurhat, Sherpur, Jhalakathi and Thakurgaon.

Meanwhile, the districts in the “green zone” are Brahmanbaria, Habiganj, Narsingdi, Kishoreganj, Sunamganj, Tangail, Madaripur, Rajbari, Bhola, Netrakona, Gaibandha, Chapainawabganj, Barguna, Chuadanga, Nilphamari and Meherpur districts.

The infection rate in these districts is below 5 per cent.