Amid an alarming spike in Covid-19 cases and deaths in recent weeks, Bangladesh registered 8,822 Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, its highest-ever single day figure.
Health authorities also reported 115 deaths from the virus in the last 24-hour until 8:00am, pushing the total fatalities to 14,503. This is the second-highest figure followed by 119 deaths recorded on Sunday.
The number of fresh infections of 8,822 has surpassed all past records by breaking the figure of 8,364 cases registered on Monday.
The daily infection rate, showing a double-digit trend for the consecutive 27 days, also soared to 25.13 per cent.
With the latest figures, the mortality rate remained at 1.59 per cent, the Directorate General of Health Services said in a press release.
Bangladesh reported its first cases on March 8 last year and the first coronavirus-related death on March 18 that year. So far, the country has seen 14,388 deaths and confirmed 9,04,436 cases.
Strict lockdown from July 1
In light of the deteriorating Covid situation, the government decided to impose a seven-day strict lockdown across Bangladesh from July 1, revising its earlier decision to enforce it from June 28.
The decision came following the recommendation of National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19.
NTAC suggested enforcing a minimum of 14-day complete shutdown to stem the tide of infection.
The World Health Organization, in its latest report, said at least 40 districts of the country are at high risk of infection.
Meanwhile, the government's announcement of the complete lockdown has triggered a mass exodus of homebound people from Dhaka.
On June 21, the government announced a nine-day lockdown in seven districts of Dhaka division.
Restrictions have been enforced in Narayanganj, Gazipur, Munshiganj, Manikganj, Rajbari, Madaripur, and Gopalganj from June 22 to 30.
The government had earlier imposed restrictions on movement on April 5 this year. They were extended until July 15 in phases.
The Covid-19 situation in the bordering districts has deteriorated in recent days, prompting the local administration to enforce full-scale lockdown in some areas.
Bangladesh shut its border with India on April 26 as the neighbouring country’s coronavirus situation worsened. The closure was extended in phases until June 30.
Amid the spike in Covid cases triggered by local transmission of the Indian variant (Delta), experts predicted that Bangladesh might see the peak of the current wave of the deadly virus in the third week of July next.
