Authorities plan to set up at least nine more Covid vaccination centres in Sylhet as the city grapples with a devastating second wave of the pandemic. Sylhet City Corporation has already sent a proposal to the Health Department in this regard and awaiting an approval from the latter, officials told UNB on Wednesday. Read:Sylhet-3 by-election postponed until Aug 5 The vaccination drive is currently being carried out at Sylhet MAG Osmani Hospital and Divisional Police Lines Hospital in the city. With the proposed centres, the number of vaccination sites in Sylhet will rise to 11. Md Jahidul Islam Sumon, chief health officer of Sylhet City Corporation, said that such an initiative has been taken to bring dynamism in the vaccination drive amid an alarming surge in Covid-19 cases. "The Corporation's proposal could be approved by the Health Department by this week," he said, adding that the training of 40 health workers has already been completed for manning these proposed centres. Read: All will get Covid vaccine shots, reassures PM Hasina The venues of the proposed vaccination centres are Nagar Bhaban, Matrimangal Hospital, Uttar Par Binodini Nagar Health Center of Dhopadighi, Bagbari Nagar Health Center, Akhalia Biresh Chandra Nagar Health Center, Kadamtali Nagar Health Center, Kazitula Surjer Hasi Clinic, Tilagarh Surjer Hasi Clinic and Shahjalal Upashohor Health Center.

Faced with a severe shortage of ICU and general beds the government hospitals in capital Dhaka are struggling to cope with a steady stream of Covid-19 patients, many of them coming from outside the city in critical condition. The rush has filled the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) to the brim and forced the authorities to admit patients more than their capacity. And yet many have been kept in the waiting list for a bed, while others have simply been asked to hunt beds in other hospitals. That includes even the critical patients who need intensive care. Read: Khulna division sees 46 Covid deaths amid deepening crisis According to the Health Department, there are 16 government hospitals in the capital dedicated to Covid patients. Three of these hospitals don’t have any ICU. Seven of the remaining 13 hospitals had no ICU bed empty as of Saturday.    In the remaining six hospitals, only 40 ICU beds were available as of Saturday, said the authorities adding things are changing by hours.   Read Liquid Medical Oxygen and Covid-19 Treatment: Things we need to know The pressure has mounted on the Dhaka hospitals as patients are arriving from other adjoining district hospitals for shortage of ICU facilities there. The few ICU beds are already full. ICU beds are not easily available in the districts. An average of 25 patients need ICU in the hospitals designated for coronavirus in the capital.

A health department official on Monday committed suicide at his home in the capital's Moghbazar area. The deceased was identified as Dr. Md. Jihanul Alim (55). His relatives found him unconscious on the fourth floor of the building and took him to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) where the doctor on duty declared him dead at 2.45 pm READ: Chuadanga cattle trader 'commits suicide' over Covid stigma Md. Abdul Khan, assistant sub-inspector of DMCH Police outpost, said the deceased had black marks on his neck. He was an official of the department of health and his wife works at the Directorate General of Health Services. His relatives there did not want to say anything. However, his wife Farhana said her husband had a stroke. READ: One in 100 deaths is by suicide: WHO The incident was reported to Hatirjheel police station and the body was kept at the hospital for autopsy.