Global Covid-19 cases pass 98 million

More than 98 million people have been infected with Covid-19. Over 2.1 million people have now died after contracting the virus since the first cases were reported in December last year.

The worldwide number of Covid-19 cases reached 98,157,700 and fatalities rose to 2,106,690 until early Saturday, according to Johns Hopkins University.

However, the numbers are thought to be higher because of insufficient testing in many countries.

The US – the world’s worst-hit country – crossed the grim milestone of 20 million cases on New Year’s Day.

The country’s infection tally reached 24,818,781 and fatalities stood at 414,004 on early Saturday.

By mid-December, five in every 100 Americans – more than 16 million – had been infected by Covid-19.

Those numbers testify to a historic tragedy. But they do not fully capture the multitude of ways, large and small, that the virus has upended and reconfigured everyday life in the US.

Meanwhile, India confirmed 10,625,428 cases and 153,032 deaths until Saturday. And Brazil’s case tally reached 8,753,920 and fatalities stood at 215,243.

Covid-19 in Bangladesh

Bangladesh saw a daily infection rate of 4.17% with 619 new cases reported until early Friday.

The country recorded a daily infection rate of 5.49% on January 18, 4.90% on January 14, 8.29% on January 10, 7.52% on January 4, and 8.18% on January 1.

Bangladesh has recorded 530,890 cases so far. And the country’s fatality number rose to 7,981 and death rate to 1.50%, with 15 Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, since the first fatality was reported on March 18.

So far, 3,530,274 tests, including 14,846 new ones, have been carried out. The overall infection rate stood at 15.04%, the Directorate General of Health Services said.

However, 475,561 patients – 89.58% – have recovered so far.