Covid situation worsens, 76 more die in Bangladesh

The overall Covid situation in the country further deteriorated on Tuesday with daily Covid cases steadily increasing as the test positivity rate in Chattogram and Barishal divisions has doubled and quadrupled respectively since the beginning of June.

The test positivity rate kept climbing in Khulna division as well with eight of the division’s 10 districts reporting about 45 per cent or higher positivity rate with the overall divisional rate reaching 45 per cent on the day.

Covid-19 killed 76 people and infected 4,846 others across the country in the 24 hours till 8:00am Tuesday, according to the daily official counts released by the Directorate General of Health Services.

‘Half-hearted lockdowns cannot rein in community transmission of a highly contagious virus,’ said Chuadanga district’s civil surgeon ASM Maruf Hasan.

Chuadanga, one of the first few border districts of the country to come under fresh restrictions, reported the highest 65 per cent test positivity in the country on Tuesday.

‘There are curbs on public movement while at the same time vehicles are operating. It does not make any sense,’ said Maruf.

Magura district reported the lowest test positivity in Khulna division with 25 per cent of samples tested in the 24-hour reporting period turning out Covid positive, followed by Kushtia with 37 per cent.

The DGHS dashboard showed that the test positivity rate in Barishal division on June 1 was just 8 per cent, which was 28 per cent on June 22, showing a steady climb in daily cases.

Barishal district reported 32 per cent test positivity on Tuesday while Barguna 42 per cent, Jhalokathi 31 per cent and Pirojpur 26 per cent, according to DGHS statistics.

The test positivity rate doubled to over 20 per cent in Chattogram division on June 22 from 10 per cent on June 1 as cases steadily rose in this division, too.

Fatikchari is the first area in Chattogram division to come under restrictions from today while Barishal division is yet to go for fresh curbs on public movement.

But localised restrictions were imposed in many areas of Khulna, Rajshahi and Rangpur districts.

The DGHS and health experts had advised the government to impose complete lockdown in a couple of border districts with abnormally high Covid infections in order to isolate new cases and treat them.

But the government did not go by the advice, allowing unrestricted public gathering for mango and litchi trade even after the presence of the delta variant in the country had been confirmed.

Now the delta variant has spread to Dhaka where the test positivity rate has tripled since June 1, reaching about 15 per cent on June 22.

Dhaka city has been practically cut off from the rest of the country since Tuesday following an alarming spread of Covid cases across the country.

Rajshahi division still registered 20 per cent positivity while Rangpur division 35 per cent and Sylhet and Myemnsingh divisions over 15 per cent.

Our Rajshahi University correspondent reported that 56 more people were admitted to the Covid unit of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital in the 24 hours till 8:00am on Tuesday.

There are 393 patients currently under treatment at the 309-bed RMCH Covid unit.

Khulna division reported the highest 27 new deaths in the 24 hours with the daily death frequently crossing the mark of 20 over the last week.

The total death from Covid-19 in the country rose to 13,702 and the overall infections to 8,61,150 since the viral disease emerged in the country on March 8, 2020.

The overall test positivity rate in the country stood at 19.36 per cent on Tuesday after a total test of 25,028 samples during the 24 hours.

According to the DGHS health update, 7,88,385 Covid patients have recovered so far in the country.

Forty-two of the 76 fresh dead were men and the rest women.

Government hospitals recorded 62 fresh deaths, private hospitals 10 while four others died at home.

Dhaka and Rajshahi divisions reported 14 deaths each, followed by Chattogram with 10 deaths, Rangpur with six deaths, Sylhet with three and Barishal with two deaths.

By age, 37 of the deceased were above 60 years while 23 were between 51 years and 60 years, seven between 41 years and 50 years, eight between 31 years and 40 years and one between 21 years and 30 years, according to the DGHS update.

The New Age correspondent in Satkhira reported that six people died with Covid symptoms at Satkhira Medical College Hospital in the 24 hours until Tuesday morning.

News courtesy- https://www.newagebd.net/article/141549/covid-situation-worsens-76-more-die-in-bangladesh