Bangladesh reported another Covid-linked death and 1,116 fresh cases in 24 hours till Saturday morning, said health authorities.
With the detection of fresh cases after testing 19,275 samples, the daily-case positivity rose to 5.79 per cent from Friday’s 5.67 per cent during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 28,099 while the caseload mounted to 15,92, 209.
The mortality rate declined a bit to 1.76 per cent during the period from Friday’s 1.77 per cent.
Meanwhile, the recovery rate further declined to 97.39 per cent with the recovery of 154 more patients during the 24-hour period.
Also read: NTAC recommends stopping social gatherings to contain Covid-19
Bangladesh is currently seeing a surge of Covid-19 cases as health authorities logged 6,670 infections in last eight days since January 1.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s total tally of Omicron cases reached 21 with detection of 11 cases on Friday, according to GISAID, a global initiative on sharing all influenza data.
On December 9 last year, Bangladesh again logged zero Covid-related death after nearly three weeks as the pandemic was apparently showing signs of easing.
The country reported this year’s first zero Covid-related death in a single day on November 20 last year along with 178 infections since the pandemic broke out in Bangladesh in March 2020.
Bangladesh logged the highest number of daily fatalities of 264 on August 10 last year, while the highest daily caseload was 16,230 on July 28 last year.
Also read: Covid positivity rate in Bangladesh rises to 5.67%
NTAC against gatherings
The National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19 recommended stopping all types of social, religious and political gatherings to contain Covid-19.
The recommendation was made at the 50th meeting of the committee on Friday, said a press release signed by NTAC president Dr Mohammad Shahidullah.
The committee expressed deep concern over the recent surge of Covid-19 cases across the world, including Bangladesh.
It suggested all to take steps to stop public gatherings, meetings and rallies to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Online meetings could be arranged instead of in-presence ones, the committee said.
It recommended strengthening screening, quarantine and isolation at all entry points of the country. All students to be brought under vaccination program as early as possible.
Use of 100 percent face masks, hand wash and social distance must be ensured everywhere, it added.
There should be better treatment arrangements at hospitals in the case of Covid-19 emergence.
In case of emergency, the NTAC also recommended taking legal measures such as mobile courts to implement the guidelines.