Coronavirus cases reach 11,978 in Rangpur division

The number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases rose to 11,978 in Rangpur division as 56 new patients were reported after testing 402 samples at three COVID-19 Laboratories in Rangpur, Dinajpur and Dhaka on Tuesday, reports BSS.

Health officials said the daily infection rate among the 402 samples tested on Tuesday stood at 13.93 per cent in Rangpur division.

“The daily infection rates are showing a declining trend during the last four consecutive weeks in the division,” focal person of COVID-19 and assistant director (health) for Rangpur division ZA Siddiqui told BSS on Wednesday.

“The district-wise break up of the 11,978 patients stands at 2,838 in Rangpur, 613 in Panchagarh, 1,065 in Nilphamari, 866 in Lalmonirhat, 904 in Kurigram, 1,121 in Thakurgaon, 3,393 in Dinajpur and 1,178 in Gaibandha districts,” Siddiqui said.

Since the beginning, a total of 69,058 collected samples were tested till Tuesday, and of them, 11,978 were found COVID-19 positive with an average infection rate of 17.34 per cent in the division.

Meanwhile, the number of recovered patients rose to 10,737 with the recovery of 64 more people on Tuesday at the average recovery rate of about 89.64 per cent in the division where the recovery rate also continues to rise in recent weeks,” Siddique said.

The average recovery rate of 89.64 per cent is currently about 5.17 times higher than the average infection rate of 17.34 per cent in the division.

The 10,737 recovered patients include 2,509 of Rangpur, 563 of Panchagarh, 1,001 of Nilphamari, 793 of Lalmonirhat, 830 of Kurigram, 784 of Thakurgaon, 3,209 of Dinajpur and 1,048 of Gaibandha.

Talking to BSS, acting divisional director (health) Sultan Ahmed said the total number of fatalities remained steady at 212 in the division with no more deaths reported from anywhere in the division on Tuesday.

The district-wise break up of the 212 fatalities stands at 48 in Rangpur, 72 in Dinajpur, 20 each in Thakurgaon and Nilphamari, 15 in Kurigram, 14 each in Gaibandha and Panchagarh and nine in Lalmonirhat.

“The average casualty rate currently stands at over 1.77 per cent in the division,” he said.

Among the total 11,978 COVID-19 infected patients, 93 are undergoing treatments at isolation units of different hospitals after recovery of 10,737 patients and 212 deaths while 936 remaining in home isolations.

During the last 24 hours till 8:00 Wednesday, 183 people were put in quarantine at home or institutions and 150 others released in the division.

“Since the beginning, a total of 79,561 people of the division were put in quarantines, and of them, 75,204 released and 4,357 are currently remaining in home or institutional quarantines,” Ahmed added.

Chief of divisional coronavirus service and prevention task force and principal of Rangpur Medical College professor AKM Nurunnabi Lyzu said the continuous declining COVID-19 infection rate is an improving trend of the situation in the division.

“People should wear masks while remaining outside and abide by the health directives to further reduce the COVID-19 infection and check a probable second wave of spreading of the deadly virus during the upcoming winter season,” Lyzu added.