Delta, the Coronavirus variant first found in India, turned out to be 80% of some 50 genomes sequenced in Bangladesh since May 16 by IEDCR. There is also evidence of community transmission of the variant, according to research jointly carried out by IEDCR and IDSHI.

The study also identified one "unknown variant" and found 8 of the samples  (16%) to be infected with the South African variant.

IEDCR and IDSHI collected and analysed 50 samples from across the country, including border districts and the capital since May 16.

The research also found 40 out of the total 50 cases as Delta variant, known as Indian variant, in samples collected from Chapainawabganj, Gopalganj, Khulna, Dhaka, Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Bagerhat, Jhenaidah and Pirojpur.

Also read: Indian Variant: The New Concern

Also, among the 40 patients, eight were tested positive after returning from India while 18 others came in contact with overseas returnees although they did not travel abroad.

Meanwhile, among the samples collected, 14 infected people neither went abroad nor came in contact with people with travel history. So, it is clear that the Indian variant is being transmitted at the community level inside the country, the research said.

On May 8, the Indian variant was detected in Bangladesh for the first time. All of the infected people returned from the neighbouring country.

The "highly contagious" Indian Delta variant was first detected in October last year. The World Health Organization labelled it a "variant of concern." 

Also read: 8 Indian variant cases identified in Jashore

On April 26, Bangladesh shut its land borders with India till June 14. However, many Bangladeshis were allowed to enter the country, subject to having a Covid-19 negative certificate, despite the travel ban.

Bangladesh's latest Covid number

As the administration of the first dose of the vaccine remains suspended in Bangladesh since April 26, the country continues to battle Covid-19, recording 1,887 new cases after testing 18,151 samples until Friday morning.

The new number took the country's caseload to 807,867. Also, the daily infection rate rose to 10.40% from Thursday's 9.94% while the mortality rate remained static at 1.58%, according to the Directorate General of Health Services.

Also read: Bangladesh records 34 more Covid deaths; positivity rate crosses 10%

Meanwhile, the country confirmed 34 more deaths over the same period, raising fatalities to 12,758. Dhaka division saw the highest fatalities with the death of nine; Chattogram witnessed six deaths, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Rangpur five each, Sylhet three and Barishal one. 

However, 747,758 patients have recovered so far since the country reported its first Covid cases on March 8 last year and the first death on the 18th of that month.

Lockdown in districts

The local administration has started plans to put seven border districts under complete lockdown.

Also read: Satkhira put under 7-day strict lockdown

Due to the recent rise in Covid infections in the bordering districts, district administrations have imposed lockdowns in Rajshahi, Khulna, Satkhira and parts of Naogaon districts to curb the transmission of the virus.

District administrations have been given the authority to enforce lockdowns in their areas if the Covid-19 situation worsens.