Covid-19 claimed 51 lives in Khulna division in 24 hours until Monday morning, the highest single-day fatalities in the region, said divisional health authorities.

During this period, 1,470 people were infected with the deadly virus, which also shattered the previous record.

Earlier on Sunday, the division logged the highest 46 deaths .

Also read: Khulna logs record 46 single-day Covid deaths

Director of divisional health office (DGHS), Dr Rasheda Sultana said, in the past 24 hours 17 died of coronavirus in Kushtia, 13 in Khulna, six in Jashore, five each in Jhenaidah, Meherpur, two each in Bagerhat, Chuadanga and one in Magura district.

In Khulna division, the first case of Covid-19 was detected in Chuadanga on March 19, 2020.

So far, 62,034 people have been infected with the virus in ten districts of the division and the death toll has reached 1,265.

A total of 40,553 have recovered to date.

In Khulna district, seventeen more people have died of Covid-19 at four different hospitals in 24 hours till Monday morning.

Also read: Khulna gasps for breath

Twelve of them died of Covid-19 while the remaining five died after showing Covid symptoms, said nodal officer at Khulna Corona Dedicated Hospital Dr Suhas Ranjan Haldar.

Of the total deceased, 10 people died at the dedicated Covid facility of Khulna Medical College and Hospital, two at the corona unit of Khulna General Hospital, four at private Gazi Medical College Hospital and one at Saheed Sheikh Abu Naser hospital, he said.

According to Dr Suhas, 187 people are currently undergoing treatment at Khulna Corona Dedicated Hospital. Of them, 117 people are getting treatment in the red zone of the hospital, 30 in the yellow zone, 20 in ICU (intensive care unit), and 20 in HDU (high deficiency unit).

Also read: Khulna Division sees highest daily death toll of 32 in single day

Some 36 people were admitted to the hospital during the 24-hour period, while 45 were discharged from the hospital, he said.

Amid an alarming surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths over the past few weeks, Khulna division is now clamouring for oxygen -- a component key in saving the lives of critical patients.

While few hospitals in Khulna division have already run out of the life-saving gas, many other medical facilities are operating on the edge due to an acute shortage of oxygen.