The race against the virus that causes COVID-19 has taken a new turn: Mutations are rapidly popping up, and the longer it takes to vaccinate people, the more likely it is that a variant that can elude current tests, treatments and vaccines could emerge.

The fight against plastic pollution is being hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the use of disposable masks, gloves and other protective equipment soars, but UN agencies and partners insist that, if effective measures are put into place, the amount of plastics discarded every year can be significantly cut, or even eliminated.

Yes, it's possible.

Bollywood actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and her daughter Aaradhya  got discharged from Nanavati Hospital on Monday after they tested negative for Covid-19.

Amid the fast-changing scenario in Bangladesh economy due to COVID-19 crisis, the government is going to change the main macroeconomic structure of the 8th Five Year Plan to protect people.

A total of 73 people tested positive for coronavirus in Barishal, Nilphamari and Thakurgaon districts as of Tuesday morning. 

The global death toll from Covid-19 reached 375,526 on Tuesday morning while the confirmed cases were 6,265,496, according to the Centre for System Science and Engineering of the Johns Hopkins University.   According to JHU data, Brazil has come up to the second position after US with 526,447 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Tuesday. The South American country counted 29,937 deaths from the virus till the date.   Among the countries, the US has been the worst-hit with the highest recorded deaths of 105,165 patients and about 1,811,370 confirmed cases.In the US, New York State alone counted 29,917 deaths till the date.   The UK has the second-highest death toll at 39,127, followed by Italy with 33,475, France 28,836 and Spain 27,127, according to Johns Hopkins University.   Some countries like China and New Zealand seem to have the pandemic under control. Besides, Europe is in the process of lifting lockdown.   Coronavirus cases were first reported in China December last year.   The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the coronavirus crisis a pandemic on March 11.   Situation in Bangladesh Bangladesh confirmed its first cases on March 8 and the first death on March 18 but it has been seeing a sharp rise in both new cases and deaths in recent weeks.   On Tuesday, the health authorities reported 49,534 coronavirus cases and 672 deaths in the country.

Though the government has extended public holidays and transport shutdown until May 30 to restrict mass exodus from Dhaka during the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, many people have started venturing out for their village homes using alternative vehicles, triggering a fresh worry of spreading the coronavirus in non-infected areas.

More than 350 stranded Canadians citizens and permanent residents left Dhaka for Toronto, Canada on Monday. 

Bangladesh could be staring at another wave of coronavirus cases as thousands of people left capital Dhaka for their home districts ignoring the government’s restrictions on movement and risks of infection.