Tests reduce yet cases rise in 5 days

Though the number of tests dropped significantly in the last five days, including the Eid holidays, the country witnessed a spike in the rate of daily Covid-19 positive case.

Between July 21 and 30, a total of 1,22,534 samples were tested, and results showed that 22.39 percent were positive.

From July 31 to yesterday, 9,131 were positive out of 37,061 samples tested, taking the infection rate to 24.6 percent.

Experts and WHO have been repeatedly asking the government to increase testing coverage to curb the spread of the deadly virus, but the country is lagging far behind in testing.

During yesterday's Covid-19 briefing, Prof Dr Nasima Sultana, additional director general (administration) of the Directorate General of Health Services, said another laboratory began testing samples.

That brought the number of labs around the country to 83.

A total of 7,712 samples were tested in 83 labs across the country in 24 hours till 8:30am yesterday, she said, adding that 1,918 more people were diagnosed with coronavirus.

The number of positive cases in the country reached 2,44,020.

Of the 49 Asian countries, Bangladesh ranks fifth in terms of total Covid-19 cases, according to worldometers.info.

But it ranks 36th in testing coverage.

Data shows the number of tests per million people stands below 7,500 in Bangladesh.

The number of tests per million people in Nepal, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka is respectively 24,375, 14,627, 9,085, and 7,567.

Conducting 5,24,173 tests per million, the UAE is the top in Asia.

BRIEFING

Fifty more people died from coronavirus infections in the 24 hours, said Dr Nasima during the online briefing.

The death toll now stands at 3,234, and the death rate is now 1.33 percent.

Among the victims, 44 were male and six female. They were aged between 31 and 90, Dr Nasima added.

Meanwhile, 1,955 Covid-19 patients recovered in the 24 hours, bringing the number of recoveries to 1,39,860.

Around 374 people were put under isolation during the period, Dr Nasima added.