The positivity rate of coronavirus tests continued to rise yesterday.

In the 24 hours preceding 8:00am yesterday, 1,028 people tested positive after 12,230 got tested.

This takes the total number of people who tested positive for the virus to 7,87,726.

The positivity rate announced yesterday was 8.41 percent, up from 8.22 the day before.

The rate has been rising since May 15, when it was 6.95 percent. The overall positivity rate was 13.57 percent as of yesterday.

Experts say that transmission may continue to rise because of people's habit of not following the rules.

Positivity rate is one of the important parameters to measure the transmission.

According to the World Health Organization, a five percent positivity rate or below for two weeks means the transmission is under control.

In January and February, the positivity rate stayed below five percent and started rising from March 9, indicating a second wave of Covid-19 in the country.

Experts say that the number of tests is too small to know the actual level of transmission.

Infectious disease specialist Prof Ridwanur Rahman said, "With these few tests, it is impossible to reflect the reality. In fact, the transmission is much higher than reported. The number of tests should be increased immediately. Otherwise, the hospitals will be overwhelmed again."

Meanwhile, the health directorate reported 38 deaths from Covid-19 yesterday. With this, the total number of deaths from the disease reached 12,348, according to a press release from the Directorate General of Health Services.

At least 759 Covid-19 patients have recovered, it added.

Of those reported dead yesterday, 25 were men, 13 women, two aged between 11 and 20, two between 21 and 30, three between 31 and 40, two between 41 and 50, 13 between 51 and 60, and 16 over 60, added the release.

Some 3,350 Bangladeshis have returned to the country from India through Benapole since April 26, reports our correspondent.

Of them, 17 tested positive for coronavirus, according to the Benapole Immigration Health Department.

The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research has so far confirmed six cases of the Indian variant in Bangladesh.