Dhaka, Feb 21 (UNB) : Bangladesh saw a rise in Covid-19 related deaths and a decline in new cases in the last 24 hours until Sunday morning.Seven coronavirus-related deaths and 327 new cases were reported. On Saturday, five deaths and 350 fresh cases were confirmed.
Bangladesh reported its first cases on March 8 and the first death on March 18.
The daily infection rate was 2.33% on Sunday which was 3.14% on Saturday, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
So far, 543,351 Covid-19 cases have been confirmed, including 8,349 fatalities.
According to the latest figures, the overall infection rate stood at 13.76% which was 13.8% percent on Saturday. The rate is expected to fall further as a countrywide coronavirus vaccination drive is underway.
The mortality rate remained steady at 1.54% since Saturday, the DGHS handout said.
So far, 491,367 patients (90.43%) have recovered from Covid-19.
The authorities have tested 3,947,673 samples until today – 14,036 in the past 24 hours.
Vaccination in Bangladesh
The countrywide Covid-19 vaccination drive kicked off on February 7.
Bangladesh signed an agreement with the Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd, the world’s largest vaccine maker, for 30 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. Serum will send five million doses each month between January and June.
Five million doses arrived in January and India gifted another two million doses as gift.
The government brought down the age to 40 for registration to get jabs. The doses are being provided for free.
So far, 2,082,877 people have received the first shot. The second one has to be taken within 8 to 12 weeks of the first dose.
Global Covid-19 Situation
The global coronavirus caseload has now surpassed 111 million.
The global case count reached 111,114,777 while the death toll mounted to 2,461,436 on Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
The US has so far recorded 28,077,638 cases and 497,648 deaths, as per the data.
India’s Covid tally rose to 10,991,651 on Saturday, while the death toll mounted to 156,111, according to the figures.
Brazil registered 10,139,148 Covid-19 infections and 245,977 deaths until Saturday.
The South American country ranks third in Covid-19 cases, after the United States and India, and second in deaths behind the US.
