COVID-19 patients
Covid death toll in Bangladesh crosses 20,000 with 237 new fatalities
As the highly transmissible Delta variant keeps sweeping through the country, Bangladesh logged off 237 Coronavirus-related deaths in 24 hours till Wednesday morning, taking the death toll to 20,016.
The country has been seeing nearly 200 deaths a day for the past two weeks, and shattered the records of daily cases and deaths almost every other day.
Besides, 16,230 more people came out Covid positive after the test of 53,877 samples, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
This is the highest-ever single-day transmission after the country saw the largest-ever 15,192 Covid cases on Monday.
Also read: Covid claims 31 more lives in Khulna division
21 more die of Covid at Rajshahi hospital
As many as 21 more people have died of Covid-19 at Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) in the past 24 hours, health officials said on Tuesday.
While 10 of them were confirmed Covid-19 patients, the remaining showed symptoms of the virus, said hospital director Brigadier General Shamim Yeazdani.
Read: 22 die of Covid at Rajshahi hospital in 24 hours
Of the deceased, seven were from Rajshahi, one from Chapainawabganj, three from Natore, four from Naogaon, five from Pabna, and one from Jhenaidah district.
Shamim said that 55 people have been admitted to the corona unit of the hospital in the past 24 hours. On the other hand, some 40 people were discharged from the hospital after recovery during the period.
Read: 25 more die of Covid at Rajshahi hospital
Besides, some 399 people are currently undergoing treatment in the 513-bed corona unit of the hospital.
RMCH has been one of the most stretched hospitals in the country during the second wave of Covid-19, particularly since the latter part of May when the deadly Delta variant of the virus was identified in multiple samples of Rajshahi division.
Covid-19 Surge: Too many patients for a few hospital beds
Faced with a severe shortage of ICU and general beds the government hospitals in capital Dhaka are struggling to cope with a steady stream of Covid-19 patients, many of them coming from outside the city in critical condition.
The rush has filled the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) to the brim and forced the authorities to admit patients more than their capacity. And yet many have been kept in the waiting list for a bed, while others have simply been asked to hunt beds in other hospitals. That includes even the critical patients who need intensive care.
Read: Khulna division sees 46 Covid deaths amid deepening crisis
According to the Health Department, there are 16 government hospitals in the capital dedicated to Covid patients. Three of these hospitals don’t have any ICU. Seven of the remaining 13 hospitals had no ICU bed empty as of Saturday.
In the remaining six hospitals, only 40 ICU beds were available as of Saturday, said the authorities adding things are changing by hours.
Read Liquid Medical Oxygen and Covid-19 Treatment: Things we need to know
The pressure has mounted on the Dhaka hospitals as patients are arriving from other adjoining district hospitals for shortage of ICU facilities there. The few ICU beds are already full.
ICU beds are not easily available in the districts. An average of 25 patients need ICU in the hospitals designated for coronavirus in the capital.
Global Covid fatalities up one-third over past week
The number of Covid-related deaths, registered worldwide in the past seven days, grew 30% compared to the previous seven-day period, reaching about 70,000, according to TASS calculations.
The number of confirmed cases all over the globe stands at 3.7 million, compared to 3.5 million a week earlier.
The pace of infection has intensified in various parts of the world. In the US, the number of confirmed cases registered daily more than tripled in the reported period, exceeding 60,000 daily. It may be the start of the fourth Covid-19 wave in the country.
Indonesia and Malaysia have reached the peak of the outbreak with about 45,000 and 12,000 new cases registered daily. At the same time, the situation is worsening in other parts of Asia. Iran is now reporting about 25,000 confirmed cases daily – the country's all-time high since the start of the pandemic – and Turkey – almost 10,000 – twice as high as during the previous week.
Read: Global Covid cases top 193 million
New wave in Europe
A new wave of the pandemic reached Europe, primarily its western regions. The daily number of confirmed cases almost doubled in Italy, to 5,500 cases per day, and the authorities have started to impose new restrictions.
From early August, citizens will be allowed to visit cafes, gyms, museums and public events only if they obtained a "Covid passport," issued to vaccinated persons, convalescents and people with negative PCR tests.
Similar measures have already been introduced in France, where the daily number of confirmed cases tripled since the previous week. On Thursday, more than 21,000 Covid-19 cases were registered in the country, the biggest single-day tally since early May.
The UK has recorded the highest number of cases in Europe. In the past week, the country's daily case count exceeded 50,000 twice. Overall, about 320,000 people contracted the infection in the UK in the past week.
The pace of the infection is growing in other European countries as well. For example, cases in Germany increased 45% in the past week compared to the previous week, and 20% in Spain.
Read: Chinese COVID shot may offer elderly poor protection
Fatalities spike
The Covid-19 mortality is on the rise primarily in Asia, with Indonesia being hit hardest, registering about 1,300 deaths per day. Iran and Malaysia report about 200 Covid fatalities daily.
However, mortality is declining in the majority of Latin American countries, which went through the second wave of the pandemic in spring and early summer. For example, Brazil is registering about 1,100 cases daily, the lowest number since February.
Despite a sharp increase in cases, mortality remains low in European countries.
However, the overall mortality from the novel coronavirus infection is now declining and currently stands at approximately 2.15%.
Bangladesh to receive 250 ventilators from India tonight
Bangladesh will receive 250 ventilators coming from New Delhi tonight (Saturday night) amid increased hospitalization of Covid-19 patients across the country.Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen will receive the ventilators at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 8.30 pm.
Also read: India's Oxygen Express is coming to BangladeshHealth Services Division Secretary Lokman Hossain Miah and personal physician of the Prime Minister Prof Dr ABM Abdullah will be present.
Covid fatalities, infections in Bangladesh drop for 3rd straight day; 166 more die
Although the Covid-related deaths dropped to 166 in Bangladesh on Friday from 231 on July 19, the country’s health system still remained overwhelmed.
The country saw the below 200 fatalities for the third straight day.
Also, Covid-19 infections are at 81% of the peak now, with 9,632 new cases reported on average each day. The highest daily average was recorded on July 15.
Bangladesh recorded 6,364 new infections in 24 hours till Friday morning after testing 20,493 samples.
With Covid's Delta variant spreading fast, the country's fatalities had been hovering at nearly 200 for the last two weeks. It reported the highest daily Covid-19 fatality number – 231 – on July 19 and 13,768 infections on the 12th of the month.
There have been 1,146,564 infections and 18,851 coronavirus-related deaths here since the pandemic began, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Read: Dhaka to receive 2.45 lakh AstraZeneca jabs from Tokyo Saturday
Meanwhile, the daily test positivity rate fell to 31.05% from Thursday's 32.19% when the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a 5% or below rate.
Amid growing concerns about the highly infectious Delta variant, Dhaka division reported the highest 60 deaths, Khulna and Chattogram 33 each, Rangpur 12, Barishal 10, Sylhet eight, Rajshahi seven, and Mymensingh three.
However, the death rate stood at 1.64% and the recovery rate rose to 85.35%.
So far, Bangladesh has administered at least 11,565,087 doses of Covid vaccines – enough to have vaccinated around 3.1% of the country's population, assuming every person needs two doses.
The government on Friday reimposed the countrywide strict lockdown following an eight-day pause for Eid-ul-Azha. The new restrictions will continue till August 5, unless extended again.
The country imposed its toughest lockdown at the start of July. Under the lockdown, people were only allowed to leave home to buy essentials and for emergencies.
Read: India working to resume vaccine export to Bangladesh, reiterates Doraiswami
With the recent removal of the curbs ahead of Eid celebrations, people were seen breaking Covid-19 rules while they were on the streets and in markets and malls.
At least 82.67 lakh subscribers of the four telecom operators left Dhaka during July 15-20 to celebrate Eid, according to Post and Telecommunication Minister Mustafa Jabbar.
The WHO has reported that globally, Covid-19 cases and deaths had soared after periods of decline, with the reversal spurred in part by the delta variant.
Covid claims 17 more lives in Kushtia
Kushtia General Hospital on Friday morning reported 17 more Covid-related deaths in 24 hours amid an alarming surge in the number of new infections in the district.
Of the deceased, 11 were confirmed Covid patients while the remaining six showed symptoms of the virus, said Statistics Officer of Kushtia General Hospital, Md Mejbaul Alam.
Read:Covid claims 20 more lives in Kushtia
Besides, 57 people have tested positive for corona in the district in the past 24 hours. "Some 177 samples were tested during the period," he said. The positivity rate currently stands at 32.20%.
Meanwhile, the number of Covid-19 patients in the hospital has marginally decreased. A total of 235 people with Covid symptoms are currently undergoing treatment at the leading medical facility.
Read: Kushtia reports 17 more Covid-related deaths
So far, 12,872 people have been infected with the virus in the district, while the death toll from Covid topped 471. On the other hand, 8,687 people have recovered from Covid to date.
Bangladesh loses 187 more lives as Covid situation remains girm
Bangladesh reported 187 more Covid-19-related deaths in 24 hours until Thursday morning as the vaccination drive failed to gather pace.
The virus also infected 3,697 others during the period as Bangladesh observed the last day with the lockdown rules relaxed.
With the fresh figures, the total caseload from Covid stands at 11,40,200 while the death toll rose to 18,685, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The country saw 200+ Covid-related deaths for the last two weeks on average.
Bangladesh reported its highest daily Covid-19 fatality of 231 on Monday.
The new cases were reported after testing 11, 486 samples. The case positivity rate increased to 32.19 % from Wednesday’s 30.48% %, said the DGHS.
Read: 22 more die of Covid at Rajshahi hospital
Meanwhile, the country’s fatality rate increased slightly to 1.64%.
So far, 9,69,610 people have recovered from the disease, taking the recovery rate to 85.04%
Dhaka division reported 75 of the deaths while Khulna saw 44 and Chattogram 23 deaths. Besides, 15 people died in Rangpur, 10 in Rajshahi, 11 in Barishal, five in Mymensingh and four in Sylhet divisions.
Of the deaths, one was within 11-20 years of age; four were within 21-30; 20 between 31-40, 12 between 41-50; 49 between 51-60; 64 were between 61-70 years; 27 were between 71-80 years; eight between 81-90, and two were between 91-100 years of age.
With over 4,000 deaths so far, July looks to be the most fatal month since the country saw its fast Covid cases in March, 2020.
Earlier, the country saw 2,404 Covid deaths in April, 1,169 in May and 1,884 in June.
Read: Khulna division sees 40 new Covid deaths
Also, July was the most fatal month in 2020, reporting 1,264 deaths followed by 1,197 deaths in June that year.
Hospitals are now overwhelmed with patients and struggling to cope with the country’s devastating second wave of Covid infections, driven by the Delta variant.
Upping its guard against the devastating Delta variant of Covid-19, the Bangladesh government on Thursday announced the resumption of the countrywide strict lockdown from July 23.
The restrictions are to come into force at 8am on July 23 and will continue till August 5 midnight, unless extended again.
Bangladesh loses 200 more lives amid its grim battle with Covid
Bangladesh reported 200 more deaths linked to Covid-19 in 24 hours until Tuesday morning, plunging the country into uncertainty.
The virus also infected 11,579 others during the period as Bangladesh stepped into a three-day Eid holiday with the lockdown rules relaxed.
With the fresh figures, the total caseload from Covid stands at 11,28,889 while the death toll rose to 18,325, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The country has been seeing 200+ Covid-related deaths for the last two weeks on average.
Bangladesh reported its highest daily Covid-19 fatality of 231 on Monday.
Also read: Chattogram records highest single-day Covid deaths at 15
The new cases were reported after testing 39, 510 samples. The case positivity rate slightly declined to 29.31% from Monday’s 29.59 %, said the DGHS.
Meanwhile, the country’s fatality rate remained static at 1.62%.
So far, 9,51,340 people have recovered from the disease, taking the recovery rate to 84.27%.
Dhaka division reported 51 of the deaths while Khulna saw 50 and Chattogram 49 deaths. Besides, 12 people died in Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions each, 11 in Sylhet, eight in Mymensingh and seven in Barishal divisions.
Of the deaths, one was within 11-20 years of age; six were within 21-30; 12 between 31-40, 27 between 41-50; 48 between 51-60; 62 were between 61-70 years; 35 were between 71-80 years; eight between 81-90, and one was between 91-100 years of age.
Also read: Khulna division logs 43 new Covid deaths
With 3822 deaths so far, July looks to be the most fatal month since the country saw its fast Covid cases in March, 2020.
Earlier, the country saw 2,404 Covid deaths in April, 1,169 in May and 1,884 in June.
Also, July was the most fatal month in 2020, reporting 1,264 deaths followed by 1,197 deaths in June that year.
Hospitals are now overwhelmed with patients and struggling to cope with the country’s devastating second wave of Covid infections, driven by the Delta variant.
Mushfiq’s parents test positive for Covid-19
Bangladesh stalwart Mushfiqur Rahim’s parents have been tested positive for Covid-19 and they are being brought to Dhaka for treatment.
Mushfiq is currently travelling to Bangladesh from Zimbabwe where he had gone last month to play a series against the hosts.
It is understood that after coming to know about his parents’ Covid-19 report, Mushfiq decided to back home immediately. He is now set to miss the three-match ODI and T20I series against Zimbabwe.
Also read: Covid claims 210 more lives in Bangladesh, 12,383 more test positive
He earlier had decided to not play the T20I series in this tour, instead, have some days with the family to avert bubble fatigue. However, he later changed his decision, had opted to play the whole series.
But now, for this family emergency, he is going to take a flight to Bangladesh later today (Zimbabwe time).
After winning the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh are now gearing up for the three-match ODI series against the hosts. The ODIs will take place on July 16, 18 and 20.
After that, both the teams will play a three-match T20 series as well which will be played on July 23, 25 and 27. All the matches will be played at the same venue— the Harare Sports Club.