Curve shows no sign of dropping off

Bangladesh reported 43 Covid-19 deaths, 38 males and five females, in the past 24 hours till 2:30pm yesterday, raising the death toll to 1,545 in the country.

Besides, 3,412 people tested positive for coronavirus in those 24 hours, reported authorities. With the latest update, the total number of Covid-19 cases stood at 119,198.

According to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control, and Research (IEDCR) website, males constituted 77 percent deaths and 71 percent infections in the country.

More than 50 percent of the total infected were aged between 21 to 40 years, reported IECCR, adding that the death rate was 65 percent higher among patients older than 50 years of age.

Prof Nasima Sultana, additional director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), yesterday said, "We urge people to maintain hygiene and social [physical] distancing to stay safe."

A total of 16,292 samples were tested in 65 labs across the country in those 24 hours, she said.

The positive rate was 20.94 percent yesterday. It was 22.37 percent the day before.

In terms of the total infection, the death rate was 1.30 percent showing almost no change for the last two months, according to DGHS data.

Meanwhile, 880 Covid-19 patients have recovered in those 24 hours till yesterday. With them, the total number of recoveries reached at 47,635.

Among those who died in the past 24 hours till yesterday, 16 were from Dhaka, 15 from Chattogram, six from Rajshahi, two from Khulna, two from Mymensingh, one from Barishal and another was from Sylhet division.

One of them was aged between 11 and 20 years, one between 31 and 40, six between 41 and 50, 18 between 51 and 60, 10 between 61 and 70, five between 71 and 80 and the rest of the two between 81 and 90.

Prof Nasima also said that three new labs started testing samples for the coronavirus recently.

Those were at Sheikh Russel Gastro Liver Institute and Hospital, The DNA Lab Dhaka, and Higher Scientific Research Centre of Dhaka University.

In the briefing, she also thanked Bangladesh Scouts for distributing disinfectants and cleaning agents to contain coronavirus spread.

A total of 680 people were put under isolation in the last 24 hours, she added.