The overall number of coronavirus cases is fast approaching 307 million with the spread of the Omicron variant of the virus across the globe. According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 306,913,042 while the death toll from the virus reached 5,488,375 Monday morning. That means 2,054,267 cases were reported all over the world in the last 24 hrs. The US has recorded 60,072,321 cases so far and 837,594 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows. The total number of COVID-19 cases in the United States topped 60 million on Sunday. Britain reported another 141,472 coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 14,475,192, according to official figures released Sunday. Read: Oregon issues hospital crisis care standards as COVID surges The country reported a further 97 coronavirus-related deaths, bringing the total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain to 150,154. India's COVID-19 tally rose to 35,528,004 on Sunday as a steep rise of 159,632 new daily cases were registered, showed the federal health ministry's latest data. This is the third consecutive day when more than 100,000 daily cases were registered in the country. Besides, 327 pandemic-related deaths since Saturday morning took the total death toll to 483,790. Meanwhile, India's Omicron tally has reached 3,623, out of which Maharashtra and Delhi have reported 1,009 and 513 cases, respectively. Till now 1,409 patients have been discharged after recovery, as per the federal Health Ministry's data. Situation in Bangladesh The Covid-19 situation keeps worsening in Bangladesh with health authorities logging three more deaths and 1,491 new infections in 24 hours till Sunday morning. With the detection of fresh cases after testing 21,980 samples, the daily-case positivity rate jumped to 6.78 percent from Saturday’s 5.79 per cent during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The country last recorded 1,562 cases on September 21, last year with a death toll of 26. The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 28,102 while the caseload mounted to 15, 93, 700. The mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.76 per cent during the period. Meanwhile, the recovery rate further declined to 97.31 per cent with the recovery of 217 more patients during the 24-hour period. Bangladesh is currently seeing a surge of Covid-19 cases as health authorities logged 8,161 infections in the last nine days since January 1. Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s total tally of Omicron cases reached 21 with detection of 11 cases on Friday, according to GISAID, a global initiative on sharing all influenza data. 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. Read:Covid cases in Bangladesh mark a sharp rise by 115% in one week: DGHS 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. Meanwhile, the positive cases of Coronavirus have increased by 115 per cent in Bangladesh over the last one week compared to the previous week, says the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). “As many as 6,300 new Covid cases have been reported in one week which is 3,376 more than the previous week,” said DGHS Director Prof Nazmul Islam in the regular DGHS briefing on Sunday. During the period, he said, 23 Covid patients have died, which is 15 per cent higher than the previous week.

Amid the rise in Omicorn variant of Covid-19 cases worldwide, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) issued a 15-point guideline to prevent the highly-transmittable African variant of the virus. These are: - Health examining and screening of passengers arriving from Omicorn-hit countries have to be strengthened at all ports - All social, political, religious and other gatherings have to be discouraged - If anyone goes out of home s/he has to maintain all health protocols, including proper mask wearing - Restaurants to be allowed to offer in-person dining at half of their capacities or below that - Tourist spots, recreation centres, resorts, community centres, theatres and movie halls will operate at half of their capacities - Maintaining health protocols and wearing mask need to be ensured in all worship places, including mosques - Maintenance of health guidelines have to be ensured at public transport - 14-day quarantine must be ensured for those returning to the country from Omicorn-hit countries - Steps need to be taken so that health guidelines are maintained in all educational institutions (madrasa, pre-primary, primary, secondary, higher secondary educational institutions, universities and coaching centres) - All medical service providers, medical service seekers and health workers in all health service institutions should abide by heath protocols, including wearing masks that cover face and nose. - Those who have not yet got vaccinated against Covid have to do that from vaccine centres - Quarantine has to be ensured for those having Covid-19 symptoms, Covid positive patients and people who came in contact with Covid patients - People with Covid symptoms can be kept in isolation and they can be provided help for collecting their samples for Covid test with coordination of local authorities concerned - Mask use needs to be ensured while entering offices or staying there - Mask us is mandatory even for those who are already vaccinated - The authorities concerned should take steps to make people aware about maintaining health guidelines to stem Covid-19 by announcing it through loudspeakers and publicity - The ward councillor concerned, Union Parishad members and elected public representatives can be used for this purpose. The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division of the Ministry of Health has urged all to maintain the directives strictly, said a PID handout. Earlier in the day, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said the government is going to put some restrictions, including plying public transport at their half capacities and closing shops and markets by 8pm. “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. READ: How will pandemic end? Omicron clouds forecasts for endgame No lockdown now 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. Measures will be taken to strengthen screening along the border, he said. “Some 20,000 hospital beds have been kept ready. We’re thinking about our future steps if the number of patients rises.” READ: Global Covid cases surpass 290 mln with high Omicron risk