Bangladesh has recorded the highest number of Covid-19 cases — 887 — and second highest number of deaths — 14 — in a 24-hour span, since the deadly disease was first detected in the country back in March.
With the latest figure, recorded between Saturday and Sunday afternoon, the country's Covid-19 death toll has risen to 228.
And, the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases on Sunday also surpassed the 14,000-mark, climbing to 14,657 thanks to the new cases recorded in the last 24 hours.
Prof Nasima Sultana, additional director general (administration) of the health services directorate or DGHS, revealed the latest figures during a daily online bulletin on the country's Covid-19 situation from Dhaka on Sunday afternoon.
She said that 10 of the 14 deceased were men and the other four women.
In the last 24 hours, she said, as many as 5,642 samples were collected and total 5,738 were tested in 35 laboratories across the country.
With 887 of them recorded as new cases, the data shows that 15 out of 100 people tested positive around the country since Saturday afternoon.
Prof Nasima also revealed that 236 Covid-19 patients recovered in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of people who have made full recovery so far to 2,650.
According to these latest figures, Bangladesh is currently seeing a 1.5% death rate from Covid-19 and an 18.10% recovery rate.
On May 8, Covid-19 deaths had crossed the 200-mark in Bangladesh, just three weeks after the country witnessed the 100-mark in fatalities.
Bangladesh recorded its first fatality on March 18 and crossed its 100-mark on April 20.
Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh | ||
| New | Total |
Deaths | 14 | 228 |
Cases | 887 | 14,657 |
Recoveries | 236 | 2,650 |
New tests | 5,738 |
|
Source: DGHS | ||
On April 17, the country had recorded the highest number deaths -- 15 -- in a 24-hour span from the disease, which has been dubbed a pandemic by the World Health Organization.
On March 8, the health authorities in Bangladesh had reported the first three cases of Covid-19, a severe acute respiratory illness caused by a new strain of coronavirus named Sars-CoV-2.
The disease had originated from China's Wuhan city in late December last year and quickly spread throughout the world, becoming a pandemic in less than three months.
So far, the fast spreading novel coronavirus has infected more than 4,118,000 people and claimed over 280,700 lives across the world till Sunday afternoon, according to worldometer.
Meanwhile, nearly 1,446,600 people have also recovered from the deadly disease.
During Sunday’s briefing, DGHS official Prof Nasima also said that 36 labs across the country, with Chittagong Medical College added in the roster added on Sunday, would conduct Covid-19 tests from now on.
She said JKJ Group and Brac were helping them collect the samples from suspected patients from different areas.
JKJ Group is collecting samples from Narayanganj and Dhaka’s Banani and Uttara. Brac is collecting samples through their 10 booths in Dhaka and Narayanganj and is set to install a few more soon.
Prof Nasima said 27,995 personal protective equipment (PPE) were also collected in the last 24 hours, taking the number of total PPEs collected so far to over two million. Some 400,000 of them are kept in reserved.
