Sharp rise in infection rate

The country saw a sharp rise in Covid-19 infection rate yesterday.

The daily rate went up to 10.29 percent in the 24 hours ending at 8:00am yesterday.

On the previous day, the positivity rate was 9.39 percent.

After a month-long declining trend until March 8, the positivity rate started rising again.

Yesterday, a total of 2,172 people were found to be infected with the novel coronavirus after testing 21,108 samples across the country.

With the latest count, the total number of novel coronavirus cases rose to 5,70,878 since the first three patients were detected in the country in March 8 last year.

In the same 24 hours, 22 Covid-19 patients died due to the viral infection, raising the total number of deaths to 8,690.

Meanwhile, the total number of people vaccinated rose to 48,40,969 as new 80,222 people received Covid-19 vaccines yesterday.

Health officials said, they will start administering second dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines from April 8.

"Those who have received the first dose will start receiving the second dose from April 8. They will receive information via text message to their mobile phone number," said Prof Meerjady Sabrina Flora, additional director general (planning and development) of the health directorate said following an event at the Central Medicine Store Depot (CMSD) in Dhaka.

She said that the vaccination campaign has been expanded after ensuring the every vaccine recipient receives second dose.

Asked whether the UK variant has contributed to the fresh surge of Covid-19, she said, "The transmission rate broadly depends on whether people are maintaining health safety guidelines. But, for sure, there is an impact of the UK variant. So there is no alternative to maintaining health safety guidelines."

Meanwhile, the next consignment of Oxford vaccine from the Serum Institute of India may reach the country by the end of this month, health secretary Abdul Mannan said yesterday.

"However, it may be late ... could be the first week of April," Abdul Mannan said while addressing as chief guest in the same event at the CMSD.