Global Covid cases surpass 546 million

Prothom Alo English Desk

The overall number of Covid cases has now crossed 546 million amid a rise in new infections in parts of the world, reports UNB.

According to the latest global data, the total case count mounted to 546,626,378 while the death toll from the virus reached 6,345,658 Thursday morning.

The US has recorded 88,443,398 cases so far and 1,039,771 people have died from the virus in the country, the data shows.

India reported 12,249 new Covid-19 cases, taking the total tally to 43,331,645, according to the federal health ministry data released on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, 13 more deaths were reported since Tuesday morning, taking the total toll to 524,903.

The number of new coronavirus cases rose in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe last week, while the number of deaths globally dropped by 16 per cent, according to the World Health Organization’s latest weekly pandemic report issued Wednesday, reports AP.

The WHO said there were 3.3 million new Covid-19 infections last week, marking a 4 per cent decrease, with more than 7,500 deaths. But cases jumped by about 45 per cent in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, and by about 6 per cent in Europe.

Southeast Asia was the only region to report a slight 4 per cent increase in deaths, while figures fell elsewhere. Globally, the number of new Covid-19 cases has been falling after peaking in January.

Covid in Bangladesh

Bangladesh registered one Covid-linked death with 1,135 fresh cases in 24 hours till Wednesday morning.

This is the third Covid-linked death in the current month.

The daily case positivity rate rose to 13.30 per cent from Tuesday’s 11.03 per cent as 8,552 samples were tested during the period.

The country’s total caseload rose to 1,959,209 while the total fatalities reached 29,134 with the new numbers, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

The deceased was a man, aged 51-60, hailing from Sylhet division.

The mortality rate remained static at 1.49 per cent. The recovery rates declined to 97.29 per cent from Tuesday’s 97.34 per cent as 122 patients recovered during this period.

On Monday, the country logged the first Covid-linked death in the current month with 873 cases. The previous death was recorded on 30 May.

In May, the country reported only four Covid-linked deaths and 816 new cases, while 7,356 patients recovered from the disease, according to the DGHS.

Among the four deaths during the period, one was vaccinated with single dose of a Covid vaccine while three were vaccinated with two doses.

The country reported its first zero Covid death in a single day on 20 November last year, along with 178 cases, since the pandemic broke out here in March 2020.

On 28 January, Bangladesh logged its previous highest positivity rate of 33.37 percent.

The country registered its highest daily caseload of 16,230 on 28 July last year and daily fatalities of 264 on 10 August in the same year.