coronavirus situation
Advisory committee suggests complete shutdown in Bangladesh for minimum 14 days
The National Technical Advisory Committee on the Covid-19 pandemic recommended that a complete nationwide ‘shutdown’ be enforced for at least two weeks to deal with the worsening Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh.
Community transmission of the highly transmissible Delta variant of coronavirus might be the reason behind deterioration in the Covid-19 situation in the country, said the committee in a media release.
The committee used the example of India as areference to emphasize that no step other than a complete shutdown might be enough to prevent the spread of the Delta variant of the virus.
Also read: Rapid rise in Bangladesh’s Covid cases, 81 more die
“Everything, including offices, courts and businesses, need to be closed for at least 14 days. Otherwise, no other steps taken by the government will be enough to contain the virus,” the committee said.The committee also recommended that at least 80 % of the population should be brought under the vaccination drive, aiming to bring back normal life.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh recorded 6,058 newinfections and 81 deaths in the last 24 hours until Thursday morning.
Also read: Countries like Bangladesh need support for vaccine production: FM
This is the highest number of single-day positive cases in 73 days since April 12.
However, the positivity rate fell slightly to19.93 % on Thursday and the death rate remained static at 1.59 %.
Experts warn of third wave of pandemic in India if health protocols ignored
As the ongoing second wave of COVID-19 started a downward spiral in India, health experts have begun to press the alarm bells for another wave of the outbreak, citing the flouting of health protocols amid eased restrictions and a sluggish vaccine rollout.
On Wednesday morning, India reported 50,848 new cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the case tally to cross the 30 million mark and reach 30,028,709, while the death toll reached 390,660.
The recovery rate in the country has increased to 96.56 percent.
The declining number of daily cases allowed local governments across the country to order relaxations, but warnings from experts and watchdogs pointed towards the risks of another wave of outbreak.
The devastating second wave of the pandemic caught India unawares. It saw the country's hospitals overwhelmed especially in major cities and towns. Unable to cope with the rush of patients, doctors saw themselves struggling for oxygen supplies and essential medicines.
Experts have blamed Indian authorities for ignoring warnings and going ahead with conducting elections in several states, besides allowing a mega Hindu religious congregation called Kumbh Mela.
CALLS FOR CAUTION
The easing of restrictions in the capital Delhi recently saw thousands crowd metro stations and shopping centers, prompting health experts to warn of the possible resurgence in COVID-19 infections.
Last week, the Delhi high court warned that the breach of COVID-19 protocol will only hasten the third wave of the pandemic. It asked authorities to take strict measures against violators and sensitize shopkeepers about the COVID-19 protocol.
The high court said if flouting of COVID-19 norms continues, "we will be in great trouble."
Also read: India's COVID-19 tally crosses 30 million
With the resumption of business in the capital, doctors have also cautioned that Delhi could face a "worse than second wave situation" if people lower their guard or do not adhere to safety norms.
Director of India's premier health institute - All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Randeep Guleria said last week that the third wave of COVID-19 could hit the country in the next six to eight weeks.
"It (third wave) could happen within the next six to eight weeks or maybe a little longer. It all depends on how we go ahead in terms of COVID-19 appropriate behavior and preventing crowds."
"We don't seem to have learnt from what happened between the first and the second wave. Again crowds are building up. People are gathering. It will take some time for the number of cases to start rising at the national level," Guleria said.
"Mini-lockdown in any part of the country, which witnesses a surge and a rise in positivity rate beyond 5 percent, will be required. Unless we're vaccinated, we're vulnerable in the coming months," he said.
Jai Prakash Narain, a former regional official of the World Health Organization, also expressed his concern.
"Sadly we... tended to celebrate victory prematurely, much before the battle was actually won. As a result, the country was caught off guard and unprepared to respond adequately when the second wave suddenly hit us and many lives were lost and families tragically devastated by the rampaging virus," Narain wrote in an article in a local daily.
Also read: Vaccine hesitancy puts India’s gains against virus at risk
SLUGGISH VACCINATIONS
Currently, vaccinating its huge population remained one of the main challenges facing the Indian government.
V K Paul, member (health) of the Indian government's top policy think tank, National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog (commission), said vaccination against the COVID-19 gives at least 94 percent protection from the infection and reduces the chances of hospitalization by 75-80 percent.
The nationwide vaccination against COVID-19 started in India on Jan. 16, and so far only about 50 million people, or some 5 percent out of the country's total adult population of 940 million, have received two doses of the vaccine, according to the health ministry.
As per the health ministry, over 294 million doses have been administered across the country. A vast majority of the population that have been vaccinated have so far received only one dose.
As the Indian government aims to vaccinate the entire eligible population by the end of this year, experts said the country needs to administer 10 million doses a day to achieve this target.
Restrictions imposed in Chapainawabganj for another week
Chapainawabganj district administration has extended the ongoing restrictions for another week, till June 30.
A media release from the Deputy Commissioner's (DC) office said this Wednesday.
All shops would remain open from 9 am to 5 pm, hotels-restaurants from 6 am to 10 pm.
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh reports 85 more deaths, positivity rate crosses 20%
Public transports were instructed to run at half the capacity.
All inter-district transports except those carrying mangoes would remain suspended during this time, said the media release.
Also read: 16 more Covid patients die at Rajshahi hospital
All gatherings were prohibited and a maximum of 20 people at a time could attend prayers at the mosque.
Due to the rise of coronavirus infection rate restrictions in the district have been imposed since June 8.
Nationwide lockdown not needed if transmission in Dhaka, nearby districts is controlled: DGHS
The countrywide lockdown will not be necessary if Covid-19 transmission can be controlled in Dhaka and its adjacent districts, says the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
DGHS spokesperson Dr Robed Amin came up with the remark at its daily virtual briefing on Covid-19 on Wednesday.
“We’re observing the infection rates both in Dhaka and the surrounding districts. If the situation worsens in the capital first, a lockdown will be imposed in Dhaka and then across the country,” he said.
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh reports 85 more deaths, positivity rate crosses 20%
In response to a question about vaccines, Dr Amin said Bangladesh has a shortage of Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine doses.
“Such deficit is there across the world. Although many stakeholders have assured us of providing vaccines from their stocks, nothing is final until we receive those,” he said.
Dr Amin said the vaccine that Oxford has is the vector vaccine and many other organizations have such vaccines.
Also read: 16 more Covid patients die at Rajshahi hospital
“For example, there is a vaccine that comes from the Russian research institute Gamalia Research Institute, another from the Chinese biopharmaceutical company Cancino, and Johnson & Johnson also has a similar one in the United States. Even if we get such alternative vaccines, it will be possible to solve the problem of the second dose vaccine in the country,” the DGHS spokesperson added.
Lockdown extended for another week in Rajshahi city,16 more die
Lockdown was extended for another week in Rajshahi city on Wednesday in an effort to bring the worsening coronavirus situation under control.
Abdul Jalil, deputy commissioner of Rajshahi, made the announcement following a meeting at his office on Wednesday afternoon.
Now the lockdown which started on June 11 will remain in force until June 30.
Read: 16 more Covid patients die at Rajshahi hospital
A seven-day lockdown was first imposed in Rajshahi city on June 11.
Later the authorities extended it for another week till June 24 to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission in the city .
During the lockdown, all modes of public transport will stay off the roads. However, vehicles providing emergency services will remain out of the purview of the restrictions.
Moreover, all shops, markets and restaurants will remain closed, except for grocery stores and pharmacies.
Read:13 more Covid patients die at Rajshahi hospital
16 more Covid patients die at Rajshahi hospital
Notwithstanding the lockdown restrictions, the frontier district of Rajshahi is witnessing a surge in Covid-19 deaths with each passing day.
In fact, Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) on Wednesday recorded 16 new Covid-related deaths in 24 hours.
Of them, eight had tested positive for Covid-19, while the remaining showed symptoms of the virus, said hospital director Brigadier General Shamim Yeazdani.
Of the deceased, eight were from Rajsahi district, three from Chapainawabganj district, two each from Natore and Naogaon districts and one belonged to Jhenaidah district.
Read:Lockdown in Rajshahi extended by a week
A total of 245 people have died of Covid-19 at the corona unit of RMCH in the last 23 days, officials said.
Shamim said that 60 people were admitted to the corona unit of the hospital in 24 hours till Wednesday morning.
Covid antibody higher among Dhaka slum dwellers: icddr,b
The presence of Covid-19 antibody is higher among the residents of slums than adjacent low-to-middle-income non-slum areas, suggesting that the people of these areas were infected more with the deadly virus.
A study, carried out by icddr,b between October 2020 and February 2021 among 3,220 people living in slums and adjacent non-slum areas in Dhaka and Chattogram cities, revealed the above information.
The main objective of the study, titled ‘Drivers of Covid-19 in Slums and Non-slum Areas of Dhaka and Chattogram’, was to ascertain the seroprevalence of Covid -19 among slum and non-slum dwellers, and identify probable risk factors.
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh reports 76 more deaths, 4,846 fresh cases
According to the study, the overall seroprevalence positivity among the participants was 68%, while the rate was 72% among people living in slums and 62% among residents of non-slum areas.
The seropositivity was similar across adults (70%) and children (65.5%). The seroprevalence was higher in females (70.6%) than in males (66%).
Higher seroprevalence was found in individuals with fewer years of education, diabetes, overweight, and hypertension.
Also read: Hasina suggests 6 points for framing post-Covid global recovery plan
Lower seroprevalence was found in individuals who frequently washed hands, did not put fingers on the face/in the nose, have been vaccinated with BCG, and carried out moderate physical activities.
The study led to two conclusion -- the overall seropositivity was higher in Dhaka than in Chittagong, and estimated SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence was higher in slums than in the adjacent low-to-middle-income non- slum areas, according to a media release.
Covid-19: Bangladesh reports 76 more deaths, 4,846 fresh cases
As the Coronavirus situation continues to worsen in Bangladesh creating new hotspots outside capital Dhaka, health authorities logged 4,846 more new cases with a positivity rate of 19.36% in 24 hours until Tuesday morning.
The positivity rate in the country rose to 19.36% from Monday’s 19.27 percent, said a handout of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Besides, the deadly virus claimed the lives of 76 more people during the 24-hour period, bringing the national tally to 13,702.
The fresh cases pushed up the total caseload to 8,61,150, the handout added.
However, the mortality rate remained static at 1.59%.
So far, 788,385 people have recovered from the virus infections with 2903 new ones, taking the recovery rate to 91.55%.
Of the fresh cases, 1,967 were detected in Dhaka, 998 in Khulna and 763 in Rajshahi, divisions, the three regions that showed the highest infections during the 24-hour period.
Of the deceased, 14 were reported from Dhaka, 14 from Rajshahi, 27 from Khulna, 10 from Chattogram, six from Rangpur, two from Barishal and three from Sylhet divisions. No death was reported from Mymensingh division.
Also read: Covid antibody higher among Dhaka slum dwellers: icddr,b
Suspension of bus services
No long-distance bus was allowed to leave or enter capital Dhaka on Tuesday as the government enforced tougher restrictions in an effort to beat the deadly Coronavirus.
The decision to suspend the bus services was taken on Monday night after announcing a strict lockdown in seven adjacent districts of Dhaka to stop the transmission of Coronavirus amid rising infections in different districts, as it is believed to have been caused by Delta variant.
The districts are Narayanganj, Gazipur, Munshiganj, Manikganj, Madaripur, Rajbari and Gopalganj districts.
The movement of long-haul buses on Dhaka-Chattogram highway remained halted as Narayanganj went under lockdown.
The lockdown in the seven districts will remain in force until June 30 midnight.
Suspension of vessel movement
Authorities have suspended the movement of all passenger vessels in Narayanganj, Gazipur, Munshiganj, Manikganj, Madaripur, Rajbari and Gopalganj from Tuesday morning.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) announced its decision to suspend the movement of launches, speedboats and trawlers on Monday, following the Cabinet Division’s circular on the imposition of lockdown in seven districts.
Also read: Hasina suggests 6 points for framing post-Covid global recovery plan
Vaccine rollout
Bangladesh on Monday started administering the first doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at three centers in Dhaka to fight off Covid-19.
On May 27, the government approved the emergency use of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine in the country.
Bangladesh on Saturday started administering Sinopharm vaccine doses across the country.
The vaccination started in the capital and elsewhere in the country with 11 lakh doses of Sinopharm vaccine gifted by China, said the DGHS.
Bangladesh is now administering the 1st doses of Sinopharm and Pfizer BioNTech vaccine and also the second dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
As of now, 5,225 people received the first dose of China’s Sinopharm vaccine, including 1,505 in the past 24 hours.
Of the Astrazeneca vaccine doses, 4,273,325 received the second shot and 5,820,015 the first one so far.
Global hunger levels rise as conflict, climate shocks and Covid collide
The United Nations World Food Programme warned that the world is no longer moving towards Zero Hunger.
According to the international organisation, progress has stalled, reversed, and today, more than 270 million people are estimated to be acutely food insecure or at high risk in 2021.
Also read: In multiple countries, alarm over hunger crisis rings louder
WFP’s latest Global Operational Response Plan found that famine - driven by conflict and fueled by climate shocks and the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 - could soon become a reality for millions of people. The number of people teetering on the brink of famine –has risen from 34 million projected at the beginning of the year to 41 million projected as of June. Without immediate emergency food assistance, they too face starvation as the slightest shock will push them over the cliff into famine.
Also read: Achieving Zero Hunger by 2030 in doubt, UN report warns
"The situation in 2021 is not business as usual, and it’s getting worse. We are extremely concerned about the world’s most vulnerable people as food prices continue to rise globally," WFP said.
WFP is undertaking the biggest operation in its history targeting 139 million people this year. WFP is focused on scaling up life-saving food and nutrition assistance to meet the essential needs of those furthest behind, overcoming access challenges and expanding cash-based transfers with significant scale-ups foreseen across several operations including Ethiopia, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Syria.
Also read: Public Development Banks for greater commitment to tackle global hunger, poverty
WFP needs US$5 billion in 2021 to avert famine and meet the urgent food and nutrition needs of those people most at risk, but the price of doing nothing is exponentially higher.The $5 billion for famine mitigation is approximately one-third of WFP’s total resourcing needs of $15 billion for 2021.
PM asks army personnel to stay ever prepared to safeguard national sovereignty
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday asked members of Bangladesh Army to stay ever-prepared to face any disaster alongside safeguarding country’s sovereignty like they did in the past.
She also directed them to attain professional excellence and discipline keeping pace with the changed world order.
The Prime Minister was addressing a function on inclusion of “Tiger Multiple Launch Rocket/Missile System (MLRS)” in Bangladesh Army at Savar Cantonment. She spoke from her official residence Ganobhaban through video conference.
Sheikh Hasina said the modern MLRS system can very quickly and effectively launch simultaneous attacks on multiple targets and it will add a new dimension in increasing the Army’s operational capability.
The MLRS system is included in the Army on the occasion of the Birth Centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Golden Jubilee of the Country’s independence.
The Prime Minister termed the day as memorable for the step taken in modernizing the country’s Armed Forces.
Also read: Hasina to Army: Help people improve their lifestyle
This new system will also increase mental strength and self confidence of the members of the Army alongside strengthening their institutional capability, she said.
Terming Bangladesh Army as pride of the nation, Sheikh Hasina said, members of the force are making highest sacrifices during any crisis moment as well as protecting independence and sovereignty of the country.
Bangladesh reports alarming 82 Covid deaths, highest in 52 days
As the Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh has taken a turn for the worse again, 82 more people died of coronavirus in 24 hours until Sunday morning.
This is the highest daily death toll in the last 52 days as the country logged 88 deaths on April 29 this year.
During the period, 3,641 more Covid cases were detected after the test of 22,231 samples, said a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
This takes the test positivity rate to 16.38% today from Saturday’s 18.02%.
However, the country's fatality rate remained static at 1.59%.
With the new numbers, the country’s caseload now stood at 851,668 while the death toll at 13,548, said the DGHS handout.
As of now, 782,655 people have recovered from the disease taking the recovery rate to 91.90%.
Also read: Bangladesh to start administering Pfizer vaccine doses Monday
Bangladesh’s recovery rate has been falling for more than a week now.
Of the fatalities, Khulna division reported the highest number of 32 deaths for the second consecutive day while Dhaka division 21, Rajshahi 12, Chattogram nine, Mymensingh four, Sylhet two and Barishal and Rangpur divisions one each.
Pfizer vaccine rollout Monday
Bangladesh’s health workers are gearing up to start administering the first doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in capital Dhaka on Monday with 100,620 doses of vaccine from COVAX facility.
Prof Shamsul Haque, Line Director of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and a member of the Vaccine Distribution Committee, disclosed it in a health briefing on Sunday.