The Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) has logged 16 deaths from the coronavirus, nearly half of the fatalities reported on Monday across the country.
RMCH Deputy Director Saiful Ferdous said 10 out of the 16 deceased were confirmed to be Covid-19 positive, while the others were suspected patients.
Of the victims, nine were brought from Chapainawabganj, one from Naogaon, and six were locals. In the last 24 hours, 32 new patients were admitted to the hospital from different districts, and 225 were already undergoing treatment there.
The Covid-19 infection rate in districts that share the border with India is continuing to increase as residents of the districts are still reluctant to follow health safety rules, according to the local administration in Rajshahi.
Rajshahi’s Additional Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Shariful Haque said they have started conducting four mobile courts in city, and two each at nine upazilas to fine people who are not wearing masks.
Chapainawabganj and Rajshahi districts are more vulnerable in the division as there are huge crowds at mango markets, according to the local administration.
Mango traders said that all of them keep masks in their pockets and put them on only when magistrates or the police arrive.
Nurul Hai Mohammad Anas, UNO of Rajshahi’s Puthia upazila, said they are trying to raise awareness of health guidelines among the people.
In Satkhira, 29 out of the 94 samples tested in the last 24 hours came back as positive. Three patients, including two women, died within three hours of being admitted to Satkhira Medical College Hospital.
So far, 217 people with symptoms of Covid-19 and 33 who tested positive for the disease have died in the district.
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In Naogaon, where movement restrictions have been imposed in the municipality area and Niamatpur upazila since last Wednesday, the infection rate has been nearly 50% for the last two weeks, said Deputy Civil Surgeon Manjur A Morshed.
The infection rate has been climbing since the Eid vacation and 43 people have died there, so far.
In Jessore, the Indian variant has been found in eight patients from three upazilas. None of them ever visited India.
Jessore Deputy Commissioner Md Tomijul Islam Khan said that the Covid-19 situation there is deteriorating, but it is yet to get out of hand.
“We have asked businesses and public transport operators to ensure masks and hand sanitizers for people. If we have to impose a lockdown, that will not be a good thing for them,” he added.
Khulna district has been in the top position in Khulna division in terms of infection and deaths so far. In May, 40 people died there.
Khulna Civil Surgeon Dr Niaz Mohammad said the rate of infection and deaths increased before Eid and is now stable.
In Kushtia, 165 people tested positive in the last one week.
“We will not say that the situation is getting worse, but the infection rate is increasing. This happened twice before,” said Civil Surgeon Anwarul Islam.
He said three people who visited Indian recently tested positive. Two of them have recovered and one has been under treatment at a Dhaka hospital.
In Natore, however, the rate of infection has reduced by half in the last five days. On June 2, a total 23 people tested positive, as compared to 46 on May 28.