A nightmare far too long

Around 19.48 lakh confirmed cases and 29,096 deaths.

What began on March 8, 2020, continued to haunt the country for two long years. In the last two years, for what feels like a nightmare way too long, 6.29 million lives were claimed across the globe. The country, since then, has witnessed three waves of the Covid-19. With 74 percent of its population recently vaccinated, the fear and uncertainty have faded. No restrictions on movement are currently at play.

However, health officials, as well as public health experts, think that the threat is still looming like a recurring shadow.

In the past seven days till yesterday, the daily average number of fatalities caused by the virus was more than seven, with 446 reported cases.

"Omicron's higher transmissibility has led to the final stage of the pandemic. However, chances are high that a new variant would cause a fresh spike," Prof Ridwanur Rahman, a specialist on infectious disease, told The Daily Star yesterday.

However, Prof Rahman also thinks that any new variant will not be severe due to massive vaccine coverage. "If the virus stays with us like normal flu, we have to accept it and prepare for yearly vaccination."

So far, the WHO has identified five variants of the virus as causes of concern. "Many are assuming that Omicron has less impact. The virus, on the other hand, is mutating," said Prof Robed Amin, spokesperson of the DGHS, during an online briefing on Sunday.

THE FIRST STRIKE

"Today we are unable to say what we had been saying until now. We have found three patients..."

These were the words of the then IEDCR director Prof Meerjady Sabrina Flora on March 8, after the first detection of Covid-19 cases in Bangladesh.

The announcement came 68 days after Wuhan Municipal Health Commission in China reported the first cases of Covid-19 to the WHO.

Since then, infections multiplied, the number of deaths increased with every passing day and the pandemic laid bare the vulnerability of the country's healthcare system.

The country has so far witnessed five spikes in Covid-19 cases. The first one -- caused by the Alpha variant -- struck during May-June in 2020, while the second one during November-December the same year -- caused by the Beta variant -- was milder. The third one struck during March-April last year, but the fourth and the deadliest one occurred during July-August the same year -- caused by the Delta variant. The fifth one was the least destructive during January-February this year, caused by Omicron variant.

DELTA: THE DEADLIEST EVER

Despite lockdowns enforced on July 1 last year, Delta engrossed the country with its deadly grasp. On July 28, 16,230 people tested positive for Covid-19, making it the all-time highest.

The highest death toll was recorded on August 5 and 10, with 264 people perishing across the country. Hospitals were stretched to their limits, with around 85 percent of beds occupied. Oxygen demand rose to 210 tonnes a day, while the local production capacity was around 120 tonnes a day.

The latest spike, which also marked the third wave, was the fastest but caused fewer deaths.

Dr Abu Jamil Faisel, member of Epidemiology and Public Health Expert Committee at the DGHS, told The Daily Star yesterday, "We have seen that the transmission had risen following stable situation earlier. So we're not out of danger until the virus is eliminated from the world."