The country recorded a daily infection rate of 8.29% on January 10, 7.52% on January 4, and 8.18% on January 1. And Bangladesh has recorded cases 523,302 so far.

Also, the country’s fatality number rose to 7,803 and death rate to 1.49%, with 22 Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, since the first death was reported on March 18.

So far, 3,371,416 tests, including 14,097 new ones, have been carried out. The overall infection rate stood at 15.52%, the Directorate General of Health Services said.

However, 467,718 patients – 89.38% – 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-19 across the world

The worldwide Covid-19 caseload crossed 90 million on early Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The global case count reached 90,327,622 while the death toll climbed to 1,936,133.

Also read: Global Covid-19 cases surpass 90 million

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 22,409,480 and fatalities stood at 374,341 on early Monday.

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 reported 10,466,595 cases and 151,160 deaths until early Monday. Brazil recorded 203,100 deaths and 8,105,790 infections.

Also read: Bangladesh to get Covid vaccines for 4.5 crore people by May-June

Bangladesh in vaccine race

On January 7, the government approved the emergency use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.

The approval will allow Beximco Pharmaceuticals to bring doses from the Serum Institute of India, which is manufacturing the vaccine, Mohammad Salahuddin, deputy director of the Directorate General of Drug Administration, said.

On December 13, the government signed an agreement with Serum Institute for procuring Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.

Also read: Covid-19 vaccines: Bangladesh has ‘limited choices’

Under the deal, Bangladesh will import 3 crore doses of SARS-Cov-2 AZD 1222 (Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine) from Serum in the next six months.

“If everything goes well, we will get the vaccines in mid-January,” Health Minister Zahid Maleques said.

The process to bring Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine would start in January next, said Zahid adding that a decision was taken in principle that Serum Institute would provide the vaccine at the same price they would procure it.

Also read: Is Bangladesh ready to distribute a Covid-19 vaccine?

On December 28, Bangladeshi pharmaceutical company Globe Biotech got approval from the DGDA for manufacturing Covid-19 vaccine for clinical trials.

Dr Mohammad Mohiuddin, Manager of Globe Biotech Limited (Head of Quality Operation), said after completing the trials, they would start supplying vaccines following protocols.

“Hopefully, we will be able to begin clinical trials in January. It will take five months to finish. Vaccine will be available by June if we can begin the clinical trials this month.”