A total of 119 people died in Bangladesh in 24 hours until Sunday morning, the biggest figure since the pandemic hit the country.

During the period, 5,268 more people came out positive with Covid-19 in 24,400 sample tests, said a handout issued by Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

The country’s daily positivity rate fell to 21.59% today from Saturday’s 22.50%.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Covid fatality rate rose to 1.60% from Saturday’s 1.59%.

The new numbers pushed the country’s caseload to 888,406 while the death toll to 14,172, shows DGHS handout.

Barely two months ago, Bangladesh reported record 112 deaths in a single day on April 19.

On June 24, the country saw 108 Covid deaths.

However, 804,103 people have recovered from the disease to date, putting the country’s recovery rate at 90.51%.

Also read: No more suspension in vaccination drive, hopes Health Minister

Thirty-two of the 119 deaths reported today were from Khulna division, considered to be a high-risk zone for Covid-19 spread.

Besides, 24 people in Dhaka, 22 each in Rajshahi and Chattogram, nine in Rangpur, five in Sylhet, three in Mymensingh and two in Barishal divisions died of Covid-19 today.

Dhaka has so far been the most fatal region of the country as it recorded 7,513 Covid deaths followed by Chattogram with 2,692 and Khulna with 1,165 deaths.

‘Strict lockdown’ from Monday

The government is going to enforce a “strict lockdown” on a limited scale from Monday as the Delta variant of the Covid-19 virus is spreading fast in the country.

The Cabinet Division issued a circular in this regard on Sunday.

The lockdown will remain in force from 6 am on June 28 to 6am on July 1, the circular said.

It said the movement of all modes of public vehicles except goods-laden ones and rickshaws will go under the restriction while all shopping malls, markets, recreation centers, resorts, community centers, tourist spots will remain shut during the lockdown.

Also read: Bangladesh ready to go into ‘strict lockdown’ from Monday

Hotels and restaurants will remain open from 8am to 8pm with online/takeway services.

Government and private offices will run with only necessary staff and they will arrange transport services for office staff.

The government is set to enforce an all-out lockdown from July 1 to bring the Covid situation under control.

Vaccination drive update

The government has so far approved the emergency use of Oxford-AstraZeneca, Sinopharm (China), Sputnik-V (Russia), Pfizer-BioNTech (USA/Germany) and Crona Vac (China) vaccines.

Bangladesh is currently administering the 1st doses of Sinopharm vaccine and Pfizer BioNTech vaccine and also the second dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

As of now, 11,634 people received the first dose of China’s Sinopharm vaccine, and 431 have received the second dose of it.

Meanwhile, 240 people have received the first jab of Pfizer vaccine.

Of the Astrazeneca vaccine doses, 4,285,934 received the second shot and 5,820,015 the first one so far.