The infection tally stood at 5,21,382 with the new cases. 

So far, a total of 7756 people have lost their lives and 4,66,064 recovered from the disease since the first death was reported on March 18.

The country saw a daily infection rate of 5.36 percent with 89.39 percent recovery and 1.49 deaths.

Until now, 3,344,399 tests, including 12,524 new ones, have been carried out.

Also Read: Global Covid cases inch closer to 89 million

The overall infection rate stood at 15.59 percent and 89.39 percent – have recovered so far, the Directorate General of Health Services said.

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 globe

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate countries across the world, as cases approach 89 million..

According to the latest data released by Johns Hopkins University, the total count of COVID cases reached 88, 821,629, while the death toll mounted to 1,911,637 on Saturday morning.

In the US, the worst-hit country of the world, the infection tally topped near 21 million (21,857,293) while the death toll climbed to 368,736, the figures revealed.

The seven-day average positivity rate for the nation has continued to rise since Christmas, and stood at 13.6 percent on Thursday, according to the COVID Tracking Project. That’s well above the 10 percent rate considered a marker of widespread contagion, reports AP.

Brazil recorded over 8 million COVID-19 cases on Friday, a day after reaching the grim milestone of 200,000 deaths from the disease.

Also Read: Covid-19 immunity may lasts for years: Study

In its daily pandemic report, the Brazilian Ministry of Health said it registered 52,035 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, raising the national tally to 8,013,708 cases.

The ministry said 962 more fatalities were reported, bringing the nationwide death toll to 201,460.

Brazil has the world's second-highest COVID-19 death toll, after the United States, and the third-largest outbreak, after America and India.

In India, health authorities registered 10,413,417 cases, while the death toll from COVID stood at 150,570 as of Saturday morning

Also Read: WHO chief calls for equitable access to Covid vaccines

India remains the second worst-hit country in the world in terms of cases.

Progress of vaccine 

The government on Thursday 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.

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.

Also Read: With virus surging, Biden to speed release of COVID vaccines

“If everything goes well, then we’ll 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.

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 trial, Globe Biotech would start supplying vaccines following the protocol.

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

Also Read: Daily Covid-19 infection rate drops below 6% in Bangladesh

The government has been urging people to follow health safety measures. It has also adopted a “no mask, no service” policy to prevent the spread of the virus.