12 die in 24hrs after four months

After four months, 12 people – nine male and three female — died infected with the coronavirus in one day. This is the highest number of deaths in a single day since March 5, when 13 people died from covid-19.

The country also registered 2,285 fresh cases of Covid-19 in 24 hours, according to the daily virus update by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Monday.

The latest recorded Covid-related deaths in the last 24 hours raised the tally to 29,174. Meanwhile, the total caseload reached 19,80,974 with the fresh infections.

According to the health department, 13,828 samples have been collected in the last 24 hours, and 13,842 samples tested, including antigen tests. So far, 1,43,94,619 samples have been tested.

Meanwhile, the covid positivity rate in the last 24 hours is 16.51 per cent. On the other hand, the recovery rate is 96.36 per cent, and the death rate is 1.47 per cent.

Speaking to The Business Post, several health sector experts said considering the covid positivity rate in the past two weeks, it can be considered that Bangladesh has reached the fourth wave.

DGHS Non-Communicable Disease Control Line Director Dr Mohammad Robed Amin said that the covid cases are rising in different countries around the world because of a new sub-variant of the Omicron.

Although most of the new patients were found in Dhaka city, they have noticed a significant lack of awareness among people all over the country over the past few days, he said.

The official said to prevent spreading the covid, people should follow health guidelines such as wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, and avoiding all types of public gatherings. They also urged the government to take necessary preventative measures at all air, land and sea ports.

Bangladesh reported its first three Covid cases on March 8, 2020, and recorded the first death from this deadly virus 10 days later.

Since the pandemic broke out in Bangladesh, November 20, 2021, was the first day that saw no Covid deaths in 24 hours. The country registered the highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year, and the highest daily fatalities of 264 on August 10 the same year.