Dhaka, Jan 23 – Covid-19 fatalities in Bangladesh soared to 8,003 as the country’s health authorities confirmed 22 more deaths in 24 hours till Saturday morning. The caseload of the virus in the country now stands at 531,326 with 436 new cases being reported during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Its latest data showed that the daily infection rate in Bangladesh dropped to 3.92 percent.
The country recorded daily infection rate was 4.90 percent on January 14, 8.29 percent on January 10, 7.52 percent on January 4, and 8.18 percent on January 1.
The fatality rate now stands at 1.51 percent, the DGHS said in a handout.
So far, 3,541,389 tests, including 11,007 new ones, have been carried out.
However, 475,899 patients – 89.57 percent – have recovered so far.
The country’s infection number reached the 500,000-mark on December 20. The first cases were reported on March 8. The death toll exceeded 7,000 on December 12.
Covid global update
Over 98 million people have been infected with Covid-19 while over 2.1 million died after contracting the virus since the first cases were reported in December last year.
The global figure of Covid-19 cases reached 98,157,700 and the fatalities rose to 2,106,690 until early Saturday, according to the Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
However, the numbers are thought to be higher because of insufficient tests 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 while fatalities stood at 414,004 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.
India confirmed 10,625,428 cases and 153,032 deaths until Saturday while Brazil’s case tally reached 8,753,920 and fatalities stood at 215,243.
Bangladesh receives vaccine
Two million doses of Covid-19 vaccine gifted by India reached Dhaka on Thursday.
Thirty million doses of the vaccine are scheduled to arrive between January and June (five million a month) as per the agreement the government signed with Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd.
Health Minister Maleque on Monday said Bangladesh would receive the first consignment of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s vaccine on January 25-26.
“As per the WHO guideline, we’ll first vaccinate those who’re working with risks. And the elderly people will get priority. People below the age of 18 won’t get the vaccine,” the minister said. – UNB
