Bangladesh sets new record in virus cases

The number of detected novel coronavirus cases in Bangladesh, according to the government, on Wednesday rose to 1,210,982 as 16,230 more cases were reported, after testing 56,157 samples, including rapid antigen tests, in the last 24 hours.

The country registered the highest number of new coronavirus cases in a single day although strictest restrictions to contain the surge in infections are underway across the country.

As many as 237 more Covid-19 patients died in the last 24 hours until 8:00 on Wednesday, raising the total deaths in the country to 20,016, said a press release of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) today.

The rate of detection in the last 24 hours was 30.12 per cent while the overall rate of detection of infected cases in Bangladesh as of Wednesday stands at 15.91 per cent.

The health directorate today said as many as 13,470 people recovered from the highly infectious disease in the last 24 hours, taking the number of total recovery to 1,035,884.

The overall rate of people recovered as of today stands at 85.54 per cent while the rate of death is 1.65 per cent, it added.

Of the people died in the last 24 hours, 149 were males and 88 females. Of the total deaths so far, 13,627 were males (68.08 per cent) and 6,389 females (31.92 per cent).

Among the 237 patients died in the last 24 hours, 167 breathed their last at government hospitals, 57 at private hospitals and 13 passed away at homes while no one was brought dead to hospitals.

Among the Covid-19 patients died in that time, 70 were in Dhaka division, 62 in Chattogram, 21 in Rajshahi, 34 in Khulna, nine in Barishal, 18 in Sylhet, 16 in Rangpur, and seven in Mymensingh division.

Among the patients died in Bangladesh so far, 9,273 were in Dhaka, 3,696 in Chattogram, 1,548 in Rajshahi, 2,645 in Khulna, 621 in Barisal, 722 in Sylhet, 989 in Rangpur, and 522 in Mymensingh division, the DGHS said.

A total of 56,157 samples were collected in the last 24 hours. As of Wednesday, the number of samples tested in Bangladesh stands at 7,612,588.

Bangladesh detected its first coronavirus patient on 8 March last year and recorded its first death in the disease on 18 March that year.