Bangladesh recorded four more Covid-19-linked deaths with 621 new cases in 24 hours till Tuesday morning. With the latest figures, the country's total fatalities reached 29,275 while the caseload 2,002,944, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The daily case positivity rate dropped to 6.14 per cent from Monday's 7.84 per cent as 10,053 samples were tested. Read: 70% of Covid deaths among unvaccinated: DGHS DG The deceased included two men and two women. Two of them were from Chattogram, and one each from Dhaka and Sylhet divisions. The mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.46 percent. The recovery rate rose to 96.78 per cent from Monday's 96.75 per cent. In June, the country reported 18 Covid-linked deaths and 20,201 new cases, according to the DGHS. Bangladesh reported its first zero Covid death on November 20 last year since the pandemic broke out here in March 2020. The country registered its highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year and daily fatalities of 264 on August 10 in the same year.

Amid surging positivity rate Bangladesh recorded 357 new Covid cases in 24 hours till Thursday morning taking the country's total caseload to 1,954,994, the health directorate said. The country's total fatalities, however, remained unchanged at 29,131 as no death was reported during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The daily test positivity rate rose to 5.76 per cent from Wednesday’s 3.88 per cent with 6,200 samples tested during the period. Also read: WHO: COVID-19 deaths rise, reversing a 5-week decline The country on Wednesday saw 232 cases with zero death. The mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.49 per cent. The recovery rates remained static at 97.49 per cent as 114 patients recovered during this period. In May, the country reported only four Covid-linked deaths and 816 new cases, while 7,356 patients recovered from the disease, according to the DGHS. Among the four deaths during the period, one was vaccinated with single dose of Covid vaccine while three were vaccinated with two doses. The country reported its first zero Covid death in a single day on November 20 last year, along with 178 cases, since the pandemic broke out here in March 2020. Also read: 162 Covid cases reported in 24 hours, no death On January 28, Bangladesh logged its previous highest positivity rate of 33.37 per cent. The country registered its highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year and daily fatalities of 264 on August 10 in the same year.

Bangladesh logged 21 more Covid-linked deaths with 1,987 fresh cases in 24 hours till Sunday morning following a downtrend in the cases. The daily positivity rate declined to 7.82 per cent from Sunday’s 8.71 per cent after testing 25,411 samples during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). On Saturday, Bangladesh reported 13 more Covid-linked deaths with 2,150 fresh cases. Read: No more Covid restrictions from Feb 22: Cabinet Secretary The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 28,965 while the caseload to 19,33,291. Among the new deceased, 14 were men and seven women. Twelve of the deaths were reported in Dhaka division while four in Chattogram, two in Rangpur and one each in Barishal, Rajshahi, and Sylhet divisions. Meanwhile, the mortality rate remained static at 1.50 per cent. However, the recovery rate slightly rose to 90.76 per cent with the recovery of 9,252 more patients during the 24-hour period. On January 28, Bangladesh logged its earlier highest daily positivity rate at 33.37 per cent reporting 15,440 cases and 20 deaths. Read: NTAC suggests axing post-arrival Covid test for fully vaccinated On December 9 last year, Bangladesh again logged zero Covid-related death after nearly three weeks as the pandemic was apparently showing signs of easing. The country reported first zero Covid-related death in a single day on November 20 last year along with 178 infections since the pandemic broke out in Bangladesh in March 2020. Besides, the country registered the highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year, while the highest number of daily fatalities was 264 on August 10 last year.

Bangladesh has been witnessing a downward trend of Covid infection for a week, said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Sunday. "The Covid situation in the country is still not under control, but we see that the infection rate has been declining for a week," DGHS spokesperson Dr Md Nazmul Islam said at the daily briefing on pandemic situation. The DGHS director said the infection rate was 21.50 per cent with detection of new 8,345 cases on February 6 which stood at 16.50 per cent with 5,023 cases on Saturday, at the end of the week. Read: Follow health guidelines; new Omicron to be more contagious: DGHS He said, "We have successfully run the vaccination campaign, which has resulted in a declining number of Covid-linked deaths and reducing the number of hospitalisation." Dr Nazmul further said, "We have been trying to get used to this Covid situation for the last two years. If we can follow the highest level of precaution, death and infection rate must be decline." People with Covid symptoms are receiving treatment being isolated at home on the advice of a doctor. Even all quarantine restrictions are effective all over the world including Bangladesh, Dr Nazmul added. About reopening educational institutions, the DGHS spokesperson said the students can return to the class following the hygiene rules, if the situation is favourable. A large number of students of school, college and university have been vaccinated so far, he added. However, even if the educational institutions reopened, the health protocols have to be complied with, Dr Nazmul said, adding that those in charge of the educational institutions will make the students abide by Covid-safety rules. Read:Omicron replacing Delta through community transmission: DGHS Regarding vaccination, he vaccination of floating people in the capital city is under way. He could not specify any date when it can start for floating people across the country. Since they do not live in a specific place, it is very challenging to vaccinate them together, he said. Dr Nazmul urged all visitors, publishers, stall keepers to keep their vaccine certificate with them and follow the hygiene rules in the Amar Ekushey Book Fair, which is all set to kick off from Tuesday.

Bangladesh reported 2,916 more cases of infections and another four deaths in 24 hours till Wednesday morning with a continuous rise in Covid-19 cases. With the fresh cases reported after testing 24,705 samples, the daily positivity rate kept increasing to 11.68 per cent from Tuesday’s 8.97 per cent during the 24-hour period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Read: Dhaka designated 'red zone' as Covid cases rise The country last logged 3,167 cases on September 3, last year along with 70 deaths in 24 hours while the positivity rate was 10.76 per cent. The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 28,111 while the caseload mounted to 16, 01,305 on Wednesday. Among the new deceased, two were men and two women while three of the deaths were reported from Dhaka division and another from Chattogram. The mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.76 per cent during the period.

Amid a new surge in the virus Bangladesh reported another covid-linked death and 1,146 fresh cases in 24 hours till Friday morning, said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). With the detection of fresh cases after testing 20,890 samples, the daily-case positivity rose to 5.67 per cent from Thursday’s 4.86 per cent during the period, according to the DGHS. The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 28,098 while the caseload mounted to 15,91,093. Read: WHO: Record weekly jump in COVID-19 cases but fewer deaths The mortality rate remained static at 1.77 per cent during the period. Besides, the recovery rate further declined to 97.45 per cent with the recovery of 170 more patients during the 24-hour period. Bangladesh is currently seeing a surge of Covid-19 cases as health authorities logged 5,557 infections in the last seven days till Friday morning. Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s total tally of Omicron cases reached 20 with detection of ten cases on Friday, according to GISAID, a global initiative on sharing all influenza data. Bangladesh’s daily cases last crossed 1,100 on September 29, 2021 with the registering of 1,178 cases and 17 deaths. Read: Covid surge in Bangladesh: 5,000 get infected in just one week On December 9 last year, Bangladesh again logged zero Covid-related death after nearly three weeks as the pandemic was apparently showing signs of easing. The country reported this year’s first zero Covid-related death in a single day on November 20 last year along with 178 infections since the pandemic broke out in Bangladesh in March 2020. Bangladesh logged the highest number of daily fatalities of 264 on August 10 last year, while the highest daily caseload was 16,230 on July 28 last year.

Bangladesh reported 775 more Covid-19 infections with six more deaths linked to it in 24 hours till Tuesday morning. The country’s daily cases crossed 700 last on October 6, 2021 with the logging of 703 cases and 23 deaths. With the detection of fresh cases after testing 19,740 samples, the daily case positivity rose to 3.91 per cent from Monday’s 3.37 per cent during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Raed:New restrictions soon to fight off Covid: Health Minister The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 28,087 while the caseload mounted to 15,87,915. Meanwhile, the mortality rate remained static at 1.77 per cent during the period. Besides, the recovery rate further declined to 97.61 per cent with the recovery of 185 more patients during the 24-hour period. Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s total tally of Omicron cases stood at 10 with detection of three cases on Friday, according to GISAID, a global initiative on sharing all influenza data. On December 9, Bangladesh again logged zero Covid-related death after nearly three weeks as the pandemic was 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 10 this year, while the highest daily caseload was 16,230 on July 28 this year. Read:Women more vulnerable to Omicron than men: DGHS Restrictions Meanwhile, the government is going to put some restrictions amid the surge in Covid-19 cases, including plying public transport at their half capacities and closing shops and markets by 8pm, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Tuesday. “Public buses will operate at half of their capacities while shops and shopping malls will have to be closed by 8 pm instead of 10 pm,” Maleque said while talking to reporters at the Secretariat. Deputy Commissioners have been asked to enforce the directives within seven days, he added. However, the government is not considering any lockdown in the country right now and it will think about it if the infection rate goes up further, said the health minister.

The government has decided to reopen educational institutions, particularly primary, secondary and higher secondary ones, in Bangladesh on June 13 if the Covid-19 situation does not deteriorate. “We’ve decided to reopen all the educational institutions -- primary, secondary and higher secondary ones -- on June 13. We expect the situation to be much more favourable by the time,” said Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni at a virtual press conference on Wednesday. About reopening universities, the Education Minister said the decision will be taken in consultation with the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the university authorities. Read: Educational institutions must abide by constitution, law: HC The minister, however, said reopening of public universities depends on vaccination among their resident students, teachers and staff. “The reopening of universities may slightly depend on vaccination,” she said, adding that the government will soon start vaccination among resident students, teachers, officers and employees of universities on a priority basis.     Initially, the institutions will remain open for six days a week for the class-V students as well as SSC and HSC candidates of 2021 and 2022, while for one day for the students of other classes. The number of classroom lectures will increase gradually for the students of other classes, she said. The government has already taken preparations so that the SSC and HSC examinees for 2021 can sit for their examinations attending the classes for 60 days and 84 days respectively. And their syllabuses were shortened accordingly. The examinations will begin at least two weeks after the classes, the minister added. Read Schools, colleges likely to remain closed until Eid: Dipu The periods for in-person classes will be 150 days and 180 days for SSC and HSC candidates of 2022. The syllabuses for the examinees of 2022 have also been shortened. Dipu Moni urged all to follow the health guidelines and thus help the government create a favourable environment for reopening the educational institutions. “On one hand, we ask for reopening educational institutions and increase the (Covid-19) infection rate on the other hand by not following the health guidelines. These two things can't go together,” she said. The minister said the online and television-based teaching and assignment-based academic activity are going on amid the ongoing closure of educational institutions. Read Japan's role key to Bangladesh's further development: Dipu Moni She said the Covid-19 infection rate has risen slightly due to the recent mass exodus during the Eid holidays. “The infection rate has risen suddenly in some districts. Keeping such issues in mind, we’re extending the closure of our educational institutions until June 12. We hope the situation will improve by the time, and then we can reopen the institutions,” she said.    The minister, however, said the government will reopen the educational institutions on the basis of adequate data and favourable opinions. She said the government takes its decision following discussions with the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19. “We’ll take the decision (on reopening the educational institutions) based on discussions with them this time, too,” she added.  Read: Assess situation before reopening educational institutions: PM According to expert views, if the Covid-19 infection rate remains within 5 percent, it will create a favourable situation to reopen educational institutions, Dipu Moni added. In reply to a question about the JSC examinations, the minister said if the situation remains conducive, the government will hold examinations, or else, those would be assignment-based ones. She said the government has collected data of the dropped-out students and now those are being analysed. “So, we’ll soon get a complete report on it (dropout),” she added.   Replying to another question, Dr Dipu Moni said there is a slim chance to give auto-pass to the SSC and HSC candidates of 2021 unlike the HSC candidates of 2020. Read Students protest, demand re-opening of their institutions  She said the HSC candidates of 2020 had joined the classes for full two years, sat for pre-tests and taken all-out preparations for the examinations, but the exams were postponed just a few days ago. This time, she said, the SSC and HSC candidates could not attend their normal classes throughout last year. “So, the scope to give them an auto-pass is very thin.” Speaking at the press conference, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Md Zakir Hossain said the primary schools will also be reopened on June 13 next. “It won’t be a bad decision if we reopen the schools making sure that health rules are followed,” he said. Initially, the schools will remain open for six days a week for the class-V students, while one day for class-I to class-IV students, said the state minister. The government shut the educational institutions on March 17, 2020 after the country reported its first Covid-19 cases on March 8. Then the closure was extended several times, most recently until May 29, 2021. Read:Bangladesh braces for worst Covid outbreak by June-end: Experts Covid situation in Bangladesh Bangladesh witnessed a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases and fatalities as it recorded 40 more deaths and 1,675 cases in 24 hours until Tuesday morning. The Covid positivity rate rose to 10.08 percent again during the period after remaining below 10 percent since May 15. The country had been seeing below 40 deaths since May 13. Health authorities registered 1,675 new cases after testing 16,624 samples during the 24-hour period. Besides, the mortality rate remained static at 1.57 percent, said a handout of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Read Prof Mahmood Hossain new Vice-Chancellor of Khulna University