The overall number of coronavirus cases has surged past 272 million as scientists around the world race to learn about the Omicron variant’s transmissibility and severity.
According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 272,197,443 while the death toll from the virus reached 5,329,536 Thursday morning.
The US has recorded 50,374,543 cases so far and more than 802,510 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows.
Brazil, which has been experiencing a new wave of cases since January, registered 22,201,221 cases as of Thursday, while its Covid death toll rose to 617,271.
India has registered 6,784 new cases of Covid-19 during a 24-hour period, bringing the total caseload to 34,710,628, as per the health ministry figures released Monday.
The ministry also reported 247 more deaths during the same period, taking the total death toll to 476,135.
Besides, India's total tally of the Omicron variant has surpassed 60 as the virus has spread to nearly 80 countries and regions, as per the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Meanwhile, the UK reported the first death of a patient infected with Omicron on Monday. Long lines formed Monday at vaccination centres across England as people heeded the government’s call for all adults to get booster shots to protect themselves against the variant.
The UK, as of Thursday morning, logged 11,073,455 Covid-19 cases, while the fatalities mounted to 147,249.
Situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh reported four more Covid-related deaths, with 297 fresh cases in 24 hours till Wednesday morning.
With the latest cases, the daily case positivity rate declined to 1.05 percent from Tuesday’s 1.29 percent, said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The total fatalities rose to 28,038 while the caseload mounted to 15,80,302 with the fresh ones.
Three of the latest deceased were men and one was a woman. The fatalities were reported from Dhaka, Khulna, Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions, respectively.
Meanwhile, the mortality rate remained static at 1.77 percent during the period.
The fresh cases were detected after testing 28,317 samples, said the directorate.
Besides, the recovery rate remained static at 97.76 percent with the recovery of 269 more patients during the 24-hour period.
On December 9, Bangladesh again logged zero Covid-related death after nearly three weeks as the pandemic is apparently showing signs of easing.
The country reported this year’s first zero Covid-related death in a single day on November 20 along with 178 infections since the pandemic broke out in Bangladesh in March 2020.
Bangladesh reported the highest number of daily fatalities of 264 on August 5 this year, while the highest daily caseload was 16,230 on July 28 this year.
So far, 4,41,62,695 people have fully been vaccinated in the country, while 6,74,70,049 received the first dose as of Tuesday, according to the directorate.
Among them, 2,70,304 students, aged from 12-17, have fully been vaccinated, while 15,88,886 students received the first dose so far.