70% of recent Covid dead were unjabbed: DGHS

As high as 70 per cent of people who have died from Covid-19 recently had not been vaccinated, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) chief said on Sunday.

“It cannot be said, in any way, that the vaccinated individual is unlikely to die from the viral disease, rather we say vaccination will provide some protection to the recipient. However the complete protection has yet to be ensured,” Prof Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam said.

The DGHS chief made the remarks while responding to questions from journalists at a programme in Dhaka.

The function was organised by the National Liver Foundation of Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Health Reporters Forum on the occasion of the World Hepatitis Day, to be observed on July 28.

Khurshid Alam said, “A few days ago the Covid situation was under control. But suddenly there was a surge in cases again.

“Most of the people having cough and fever in recent times do not take Covid test. But those who have done it, tested positive,” he added.

Infection rate drops to 7.04%

Bangladesh on Sunday registered 430 cases from Covid-19, while the daily infection rate dropped to 7.04 per cent.

With the latest figures, the total caseload stood at 20,01,775 and fatalities reached 29,266, according to the daily virus update by the health authorities.

The health authorities reported the latest figures after testing 6,105 samples at 880 laboratories across the country.

The country at the same time recorded four more Covid-related deaths, pushing the toll to 29,266. The deceased included three men and a woman. Two of them were from Dhaka, while one each from Rangpur and Mymensingh divisions.