Bangladesh on Thursday recorded 143 Covid-19 deaths, its highest-ever single-day fatalities since the pandemic broke out in the country in March last year.
The country also recorded 8,301 cases in a 24-hour period with an increased infection rate of 25.90 per cent, the Directorate General of Health Services said in a press release.
The fresh record of death toll comes at a time when the country entered into a strict weeklong lockdown amid the number of fatalities along with infections going beyond control.
Earlier on June 27, the health authorities reported the highest 119 deaths in the last 24 hours.
The daily deaths are in the three-digit mark for the fifth consecutive day while the mortality rate remains 1.59 per cent.
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 14,646 deaths and confirmed 9,21,559 cases.
Until Thursday, 8,20,913 patients (89.08 per cent) recovered.
The total number of tests carried out since the pandemic broke out in the country is 66,40,982, including 32,055 tests in the last 24 hours. The overall infection rate is gradually increasing and currently stands at 13.88 per cent.
Among the latest deaths, Khulna division saw the highest 46 deaths, followed by 35 in Dhaka and 19 in Rajshahi.
Besides, 15 died in Chattogram division, 10 in Rangpur, eight in Barishal, seven in Sylhet, and three in Mymensingh.
The majority of the victims (10,415) are men and the rest (4,231) are women.
Strict weeklong restrictions
The government-announced seven-day strict restrictions across Bangladesh came into effect on Thursday morning to combat the growing numbers of infections and deaths from Covid-19 in the country.
Members of Armed Forces and Border Guard Bangladesh along with other law enforcement agencies were seen patrolling the streets to strictly enforce the lockdown.
Earlier on June 25, in light of the deteriorating situation, the government announced that a strict weeklong countrywide lockdown would be enforced from June 28 to curb the virus’ spread. The decision was revised later on.
The decision came following the recommendation of National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19.
NTAC suggested enforcing a minimum of 14-day complete shutdown to stem the tide of infection.
On June 21, the government announced a nine-day lockdown in seven districts of Dhaka division.
Restrictions were 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.
Although the number of cases and deaths declined to some extent, the situation went downhill in recent weeks as people are still reluctant to follow basic health rules and continue to flout government-issued guidelines.
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 July 14.
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.
