The overall Covid-19 test-positivity rate once again has crossed the 13% mark in Bangladesh after nearly one and a half months, with Khulna division topping the list with 38.92% samples testing positive for coronavirus in the last the 24 hours to Thursday morning.
The rate was 31.25% in Rangpur division and 18.28% in Barisal division over the 24-hour span, making them the second and third highest affected divisions. The single-day infection rate on Wednesday was 36.05% in Khulna division.
Worryingly, Rajshahi division logged the highest number of cases (815) over the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
As many as 5,110 samples of suspected patients were tested there, leading to the new cases. In Dhaka division, a maximum of 8,687 samples were tested—but luckily the result of just 513 of them came back positive.
With the impending ones, as many as 19,447 samples were tested in the 510 authorized labs -- government and private -- across the country.
The tests led to another 2,567 cases, with the infection rate of 13.24%, up from Wednesday’s 12.33%.
The overall infection rate of the country stands at 13.39%.
A staggering 820,395 have contracted the virus to date.
The new fatalities
Forty more people have died in the past 24 hours, pushing up the tally to 9,350.
Of the new deceased – 31 men and nine women – 12 were from Chittagong division; eight each from Dhaka and Rajshahi; six from Khulna; four from Rangpur; and two from Sylhet division.
Of them, 31 patients died in government hospitals, six in private hospitals, and three at home.
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Twenty-two of the deceased patients were aged above 60; eight were aged between 51 and 60; seven aged between 41 and 50; and one each in the 31-40, 21-30, and below 10 age groups.
So far, 9,350 men (71.98%) and 3,639 women (28.02%) have died from Covid-19 across the country.
Since the beginning, 7,261 people have died in Dhaka division, 2,493 in Chittagong, 755 in Rajshahi, 841 in Khulna, 389 in Barisal, 482 in Sylhet, 501 in Rangpur, and 267 in Mymensingh divisions.
Twelve die at Rajshahi hospital in a day
Our correspondent reports that 12 patients died from the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours at Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) on Thursday.
Of the deceased, nine hailed from Rajshahi while three belonged to Chapainawabganj, RMCH Deputy Director Dr Saiful Ferdous told Dhaka Tribune.
Of the 12 people, Dr Saiful said, seven had tested positive while the others were admitted to the hospital with coronavirus symptoms.
Currently, 142 patients from Rajshahi, 111 from Chapainawabganj, 15 from Naogaon, 15 from Natore, three from Pabna, three from Kushtia and one from Chuadanga are undergoing treatment at the RMCH Covid unit.
The authorities on Wednesday midnight imposed strict restrictions in Jessore and Nauapara municipalities of Jessore to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission.
Meanwhile, the local administration on Thursday sealed off a busy village bazar in Kushtia's Mirpur upazila to prevent Covid-19 transmission. In Kushtia, four Covid patients have died in the past 24 hours.
