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Global Covid cases top 199 million
The overall number of global Covid cases has now surpassed the 199-million mark as the world continues to grapple against the devastating second wave of the pandemic.
According to the US-based Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count reached 199,499,792 while the death toll from the virus stood at 4,245,542 on Wednesday morning.
So far, 4,142,591,204 vaccine doses have been administered across the world.
Read: More than 110M COVID vaccines sent to 60 countries, US says
The US, which is the world's worst-hit country in terms of both cases and deaths, has so far logged 35,231,310 cases. Besides, 614,263 people have lost their lives in the US to date, as per the JHU data.
Brazil has registered 1,209 more Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, raising its national death toll to 558,432, the health ministry said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the total caseload rose to 19,985,817 after 32,316 new cases were detected.
Brazil currently has the world's second-highest pandemic death toll after the United States and the third-largest caseload after the United States and India.
The South American country is experiencing a new wave of infections, which has overwhelmed hospitals, said the ministry.
India's Covid-19 tally rose to 31,726,507 on Tuesday as 30,549 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours across the country, according to the federal health ministry.
As many as 422 deaths were recorded since Monday morning, taking the death toll to 425,195.
Although the situation in Europe is improving, globally it is worsening as the Delta variant of Covid-19 has now been detected in 124 territories worldwide, says the World Health Organization (WHO).
Read:Looking for hotels for Covid patients as hospitals struggle: Minister
Situation in Bangladesh
Amid the merciless onslaught of Covid-19 in Bangladesh, the country recorded 236 more deaths linked to the virus in 24 hours till Tuesday morning.
According to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), 15,776 more people came out positive with the virus during the period after the test of 55,284 samples.
The fresh numbers pushed the country’s death tally to 21,397 on Tuesday, with the caseload mounting to 1,296,093.
Meanwhile, the daily test positivity rate fell to 28.58 % from Monday's 29.91%, while the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a 5% or below rate.
The country has been seeing over 14,300 cases and 230 deaths every day on an average for the last seven days.
The recovery rate, however, rose to 86.80%, and the case fatality remained unchanged at 1.65% compared to the same period, said the DGHS.
Amid the growing concerns about the highly infectious Delta variant, Dhaka division reported the highest 73 deaths, Chattogram 65, Khulna 32, Rajshahi 21, Sylhet, Rangpur and Mymensingh each 12, and Barishal eight deaths.
Lockdown extended
The government has extended the current lockdown till August 10 amid a surge in the Delta variant of Covid-19 across the country.
Read: Bangladesh’s Covid nightmare: 235 more die, 15,776 infected
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque announced the decision of the government while talking to reporters after an inter-ministerial meeting on Tuesday.
The government has made vaccination mandatory for people’s movement from August 11 and a decision has been taken to provide punitive action against those who will fail to get Covid shots in time.
The government is set to launch a mass vaccination drive at the village level from 14,000 vaccine centres from August 7, as one crore people will be inoculated in the next one week.
Rupganj factory fire: 45 DNA-matched bodies to be handed over from tomorrow
The bodies of the Shezan juice factory fire victims would be handed over to their families from Wednesday.
The identities of 45 workers killed in the factory fire have been confirmed through DNA tests, officials said Tuesday. These bodies were recovered in an unrecognisably charred state.
Also read: Rupganj factory fire: Claimants found for 40 bodies out of 48, after 56 families submit DNA samples
Narayanganj Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mostain Billah said some of the bodies were kept in Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) morgue.
It was learned that 24 bodies kept at Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue will be handed to families at noon Wednesday. The rest were kept at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital morgue to be handed over in the next two days.
Also read: PM monitoring developments after factory fire in Rupganj: Quader
However, identities of three of the 48 bodies recovered in the same state from the same floor could not be ascertained from DNA matches.
Deputy Commissioner Mostain Billah further said that the families of the listed 45 deceased will be given Tk 50,000 for the burial and funeral.
PM congratulates Tigers on historic win
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday congratulated Bangladesh cricket team for its maiden win over mighty Australia in T20 format of cricket.
Also read: Tigers create history winning first T20I v mighty Australia
Tigers beat touring Aussies by 23 runs in the low-scoring first T20I of five at the Sher-E-Bangla Cricket Stadium.
BMRC clears Indian Covaxin’s clinical trials in Bangladesh
Bangladesh Medical and Research Council (BMRC) has approved in principle the clinical trials of Indian Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin in Bangladesh.
BMRC Chairman Prof Dr Syed Modasser Ali shared the information with UNB on Tuesday.
On July 18, Covaxin, a Coronavirus vaccine jointly developed by Bharat Biotech and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), got the clearance for its clinical trials in Bangladesh, he said.
Read: Vaccine coproduction deal with Sinopharm ready for signing: FM
Contract Research Organization (CRO) icddr,b had applied seeking permission for the clinical trials of the Indian vaccine in Bangladesh a few months ago.
After the review of necessary documents, the vaccine got clearance from the BMRC, said Dr Modasser.
He, however, said the approval of the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) will be needed to start the clinical trials of Covaxin in the country.
Read: No Covid vaccine crisis in the country, says Quader
India has planned to facilitate its clinical trials in Bangladesh in a bid to enhance the recognition of indigenous coronavirus vaccine, Covaxin, according to Indian media reports.
India has not supplied any Covaxin doses to Bangladesh so far.
354 held for breaching lockdown rules on day 12
Police arrested 354 people in Dhaka for violating lockdown restrictions on the 12th day of the countrywide strict lockdown on Tuesday.
The arrestees failed to show any valid reason for coming out on the streets, said DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (media) Iftekharul Islam.
Meanwhile, mobile courts collected Tk 1,77,000 in fines from 120 people.
Read: People find 'easy excuses' to defy lockdown in Dhaka
Besides, the Traffic Division collected Tk 1,12,3000 as penalties from 532 vehicles for failing to comply with coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
On the 12th day of lockdown, the streets of Dhaka flooded with vehicles bringing back its chaotic days.
Read: Covid kills 218 more in Bangladesh as its catastrophe continues
Everything except public transports were plying city streets and people wandering around with little or no regard to the health guidelines.
The government, meanwhile, has extended the current lockdown till August 10.
BGMEA fund gets donation from Epic Group to help Covid affected people
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan on Tuesday said they have initiated a fund to help people affected by the Covid-19 considering the current situation.
"We consider it as our social responsibility. From the fund, BGMEA will donate medical equipment and medicines so that we can help people who need it now," he said.
Epic Group made a donation to the fund launched by the BGMEA to assist people affected by Covid-19.
On behalf of Epic Group its General Manager P.K. Saw handed over a cheque of Tk 5 lakh and one lakh pieces of face masks to BGMEA President Faruque Hassan at the latter’s office on Tuesday.
Also read: BGMEA urges buyers not to penalise suppliers for lockdown-caused delays
Epic Group Chairman Ranjan Mahtani and Managing Directors Sunil Daryanani and Dinesh Virwani virtually joined the donation handover ceremony.
BGMEA Vice President Miran Ali, Director Tanvir Ahmed and former Director Ashikur Rahman Tuhin were also present at the ceremony.
The Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh has recently taken an alarming turn with growing number of infections across the country.
The rapid surge in infections have led to hospitalization of a large number of people.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan thanked Epic Group for contributing to the BGMEA’s fund.
Also read: BGMEA donates high flow nasal cannulas to DNCC Covid-19 Hospital
He requested generous people and organizations to come forward and make financial contribution to the BGMEA’s fund to help the people in need.
“Your donated money will be used to buy medical equipment including nasal cannula and oxygen cylinder and medicines which will be donated to hospitals for treating Covid-19 patients," said the BGMEA President.
Earlier, BGMEA donated Tk 6 crore to the Prime Minister’s fund to help the poor affected by Covid fallout.
BGMEA also donated 15 German-made high flow nasal cannula with BiPAP and 50 thousand masks to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Dedicated Covid-19 Hospital to meet the needs of patients.
Looking for hotels for Covid patients as hospitals struggle: Minister
The government is going to rent hotels for providing treatment to Covid patients with mild complications as hospitals are under an unprecedented crisis with huge patients, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said on Tuesday.
“Already 90 percent of the seats in hospitals have been packed. And 95% ICU beds are also occupied. We’re preparing a field hospital at Bangabandhu Medical University where we can immediately arrange 500-600 beds,” he said.
The minister said, “Everyone infected with corona needs not to be hospitalised. So, we’re thinking of renting hotels for dealing with the patients who’ve mild complications. We’ll have doctors, nurses, medicines, and some oxygen in those hotels.”
He came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after an inter-ministerial meeting at the Secretariat with Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque in the chair.
Read: Bangladesh’s Covid nightmare: 235 more die, 15,776 infected
Maleque said they have started looking for hotels as they will no longer be able to accommodate the growing number of patients in hospitals. “If we can give treatment to the Covid patients with mild infections at hotels, they’ll be able to go back home after recovery from there, and it will help reduce the pressure on the hospitals. So, we’ve taken this step.”
Drug accused ‘dies in police custody’ in city
A man accused in a drug case died at Uttara East Police Station early Tuesday, while on a two-day remand.
The accused hanged himself to death from the ventilator of the cell with a blanket, Deputy Commissioner (Uttara Division) Mohamamd Foyjul Islam told UNB.
The deceased was identified as Mohammad Liton, 45 of Kahalu upazila in Bogura district.
Read: Faridpur violence: 48-yr-old accused dies in police custody
Placed on two-day remand police took him into custody on Monday.
“There are 15 CCTV cameras inside the police station. The CCTV footage has shown that the accused tore down the blanket inside the cell and hanged himself from the ventilator,” he said.
However, a three-member probe body, headed by Additional deputy commissioner (Airport Zone) was formed to look into the matter and find whether there was any negligence on part of duty police , he added.
Read: Raihan’s death in police custody: Suspended SI Akbar held
The committee has been asked to submit the report within three working days.
Police will take necessary steps on the basis of the probe report, said Foyjul.
Another EC official dies of Covid in Mymensingh
Additional regional election officer of Mymensingh ABM Saifuzzaman died of Covid-19 on Tuesday. He was 45.
“He breathed his last at 11:20am at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital,” Mymensingh regional election officer (REO) Md Shahedunnabi Chowdhury told UNB.
Read: Bangladesh’s Covid nightmare: 235 more die, 15,776 infected
Saifuzzaman was admitted to the hospital on Thursday last as he tested positive for Covid-19.
He left behind wife and two daughters to mourn his death. He will be buried at his village in Atpara Upazila of Netrakona district.
With Saifuzzaman, eight EC staff died of Covid-19 and some 200 staff got infected with the virus.
Read: Chattogram EC official dies of Covid-19
Of them, four EC staff died in July.
Sylhet REO Md Israil Hossain died on July 25 while Rajnagar Upazila election officer in Moulvibazar Alif Laila on July 7 last.
Bangladesh’s Covid nightmare: 235 more die, 15,776 infected
Amid the merciless onslaught of Covid-19 in Bangladesh, the country recorded 236 more deaths linked to the virus in 24 hours till Tuesday morning.
According to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), 15,776 more people came out positive with the virus during the period after the test of 55,284 samples.
The fresh numbers pushed the country’s death tally to 21,397 today with the caseload mounting to 1,296,093.
Meanwhile, the daily test positivity rate fell to 28.58 % from Monday's 29.91%, while the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a 5% or below rate.
The country has been seeing over 14,300 cases and 230 deaths every day on average for the last seven days.
The recovery rate, however, rose to 86.80%, and the case fatality remained unchanged at 1.65% compared to the same period, said the DGHS.
Read: Covid in Bangladesh: Seniors far more likely to face the worst
Amid the growing concerns about the highly infectious Delta variant, Dhaka division reported the highest 73 deaths, Chattogram 65, Khulna 32, Rajshahi 21, Sylhet, Rangpur and Mymensingh each 12 and Barishal eight deaths.
Of today’s deceased, 140 were male and 95 were female.
Hiring hospitals
The government is going to rent hotels for providing treatment to Covid patients with mild complications as hospitals are under an unprecedented crisis with huge patients, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said on Tuesday.
“Already 90 percent of the seats in hospitals have been packed. And 95% ICU beds are also occupied. We’re preparing a field hospital at Bangabandhu Medical University where we can immediately arrange 500-600 beds,” he said.