Notwithstanding a drop in the number of fresh cases in several countries, the global Covid-19 caseload is fast approaching the 174-million mark.
The global case count and fatalities stand at 173,887,864 and 3,744,378, respectively, as of Wednesday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
To date, some 2,176, 376,755 people have been jabbed globally, as per JHU data.
The US, which is the world's worst-hit country in terms of both cases and deaths, has so far logged 33,390,694 cases and
598,323 deaths, Johns Hopkins figures reveal.
India's Covid-19 tally rose to 28,996,473 on Tuesday, with 86,498 new cases reported in 24 hours, said the federal Health Ministry. This is the lowest single-day spike in India in more than two months.
Besides, 2,123 deaths were reported during the period, pushing up the death toll to over 350,000, according to the Ministry.
Brazil registered 2,378 more deaths from Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide tally to 476,792, the health ministry said on Tuesday.
A total of 52,911 new infections were detected during the period, raising the national caseload to 17,037,129, the ministry said.
Brazil has the world's second-highest Covid-19 death toll, after the United States, and the third-largest caseload, behind the U.S. and India.
Situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh on Tuesday registered 44 more coronavirus-related deaths and 2,322 fresh cases in 24 hours, with the Covid situation worsening post the detection of the Delta variant in different parts of the country.
Although district administrations have imposed restrictions in most of the frontier districts to bring the situation under control, the infection and death rates are on the rise.
The latest death toll pushed up the fatalities to 12,913. The Covid-19 death toll crossed the 12,000-mark in Bangladesh on May 11.
With the new cases, the total caseload rose to 8,15,282, said the Directorate General of Health Services.
Vaccination drive
Around 5,563 people have received the second dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in the past 24 hours.
A total number of 42,28,741 people have so far got the second dose of this vaccine, while the number is 58,20,015 for the first dose.
Besides, the total number of people receiving their first jab of Chinese Sinopharm vaccine reached 2,162 during the period.
Bangladesh launched its vaccination drive on February 7 with Oxford-AstraZeneca doses bought from India's Serum Institute.
So far, four vaccines – Oxford-AstraZeneca (Covishield), Sputnik-V, Sinopharm, and Pfizer-BioNTech – have got the approval for emergency use in Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, seven million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine reached Bangladesh, and the governments of India and China gave 3.2 million doses and 500,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine as gifts, respectively.
However, the country, the prime recipient of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, has suspended the registration for Covid-19 jabs due to vaccine shortage amid a delay in the arrival of shipments from India.
US delivers emergency medical supplies
The United States, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), on Monday night delivered to Bangladesh its latest shipment of emergency medical supplies to save lives, stop the spread of Covid-19, and meet the urgent health needs of the Bangladeshi people.
This latest delivery brings the financial value of US pandemic assistance to Bangladesh to more than $84 million, tweeted US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller.
The emergency medical supplies include critical personal protective equipment for healthcare professionals and other frontline workers, as well as fingertip pulse oximeters.