The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has finalized a clinical guideline to contain the outbreak of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 as the new South African variant is spreading fast in the country.
In a virtual bulletin, DGHS Spokesperson Prof Dr Nazmul Islam on Wednesday said: "The number of Omicron variant infected cases is increasing sharply across the country."
Referring to the studies of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control And Research (IEDCR) and International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research (icddr,b), Prof Nazmul said these studies found that a significant number of people are being infected by Omicron variant of Covid alongside Delta variant, reports BSS.
Bangladesh has so far reported 69 confirmed Omicron cases, while the authorities say this variant is taking the place of the Delta.
Meanwhile, the country logged 15,527 new Covid cases in the 24 hours till Wednesday morning, taking the total caseload to 12,261,252.
As many as 49,073 samples were tested during the period with a test positivity rate of 31.64%, according to figures released by the DGHS. It was 32.4% the day before.
The country registered the highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year, while the highest infection rate of 32.55% was recorded on July 24.
The DGHS logged 17 deaths from coronavirus on Wednesday. The total fatality now stands at 28,273.
The latest Omicron cases were detected at the lab of the Dhaka-based international health research institute icddr,b.
Scientists can confirm if a case is positive with Omicron or Delta by looking closely at the genetic material provided through testing.
On December 11, Bangladesh reported its first two cases of the Omicron variant in two members of the Bangladesh women cricket team.
They had returned from Zimbabwe after taking part in the ICC Women's World Cup qualifiers. The event was, however, called off midway due to the surge of Omicron.
Doctors in South Africa, the continent's most developed country, were the first to alert the world of this new variant.