With its growing number of Covid-19 cases, Chittagong division is now seeing a spike in body count close to that of Dhaka relative to other divisions.
In the past week, both the divisions (Chittagong and Dhaka) were close in the number of daily deaths from the deadly virus.
Now, as per the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) data, both Dhaka and Chittagong divisions had 10 deaths on June 25.
On June 24, nine people died in Chittagong and 10 died in Dhaka, while on June 23, 15 died in Chittagong and 16 in Dhaka.
On June 22, Chittagong division recorded 12 deaths while Dhaka saw 15, and on June 21, it was 11 in Chittagong, and 16 in Dhaka.
However, on June 20 the number of deaths in Chittagong division was higher than in Dhaka -- 13 in Chittagong and 10 in Dhaka. On June 19, there were 14 deaths in Chittagong and 21 in Dhaka.
The number of deaths was higher in Chittagong on June 18 as well. The division witnessed 18 deaths while Dhaka recorded 14 deaths.
According to DGHS sources, Chittagong division recorded 433 deaths and Dhaka division logged 828 deaths as of June 24.
Amid surging Covid-19 cases and fatalities, the National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) has primarily identified 10 areas of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) as red zones to tackle the pandemic.
"Chittagong is the most populated city after Dhaka and that is the reason the rate of coronavirus infection is higher," Chittagong Civil Surgeon Dr Sheikh Fazle Rabbi told Dhaka Tribune.
With a rising number of coronavirus infections, Chittagong is also facing an acute shortage of ICU (Intensive Care Unit) beds in both public and private hospitals.
According to the Civil Surgeon’s office, there are only 25 ICU beds at government hospitals in Chittagong district.
