The Covid-19 unit of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) has reported 18 deaths in the 24 hours to Thursday morning, the most in a day.
Of them, eight tested positive for the disease while the remaining were showing symptoms, said the hospital’s Director Brig Gen Shamim Yeazdani.
Of the deceased, 13 were from the Rajshahi district, one from Chapainawabganj and four from Naogaon district.
As many as 260 people have died at the Covid-19 unit since the start of June, said the RMCH director.
A total of 54 patients with Covid-19 symptoms have been admitted to the hospital in the 24 hours to Thursday morning. Of them, 33 were from Rajshahi, 10 from Chapainawabganj, six from Naogaon, four from Natore and one from Pabna.
With the latest development, 404 patients are currently undergoing treatment at the Covid-19 unit, slightly above the capacity of 357 beds, as of 8am on Thursday.
Of them, 272 were from Rajshahi, 59 from Chapainawabganj, 32 from Naogaon, 26 from Natore, ten from Pabna, three from Kustia, and one each from Chuadanga and Dhaka, he said.
Meanwhile, the hospital is witnessing an increasing infection rate after four days. On Wednesday, 380 samples were tested at two laboratories of the district and 129 of those came back positive, yielding an infection rate of 33.95%.
The rate was 33.05% on Monday and 33.51% on Sunday.
In addition to Rajshahi, 183 samples were tested in Naogaon while 50 came out positive. Moreover, 9 out of 91 samples tested in Chapainawabganj came back positive as well.
Brig Shamim Yazdani continued that more than 60% of the new Covid-19 patients admitted to the Covid ward of RMCH are from rural areas, reports BSS.
“Currently we should give more attention to villages along with the urban areas as the fatality rate among the villagers is more,” Brig Gen Yazdani said.
The district administration has imposed another weeklong total lockdown in Rajshahi city on Wednesday afternoon for the third consecutive time due to the non-declining rate of the Covid-19 cases, despite the last two week-long lockdowns.
The lockdown in the city, previously scheduled to end on Thursday midnight, has been extended for another week until June 30 suspending all connectivity to the city from different upazilas and nearby districts.
