Twelve people died at the Covid-19 unit of the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) in the 24 hours to 8am on Sunday amid a continuous rise in infections.
Among them, one tested positive for Covid-19 while the rest died with 19 symptoms, said RMCH Director Shamim Yeazdani.
Of the deceased, six were from Rajshahi, three from Chapainawabganj, one each from Natore, Naogaon and Pabna districts, he added.
Four of them were aged above 61, four were 51 to 60, and four were 41 to 50.
With the latest development, the overall death tally of Covid-19 patients at RMCH from the first four days of July now stands at 64. Of them, 23 tested positive for Covid-19.
Seventy-seven people were admitted to the Covid-19 unit of the hospital in the last 24 hours till Sunday morning, said the director.
Meanwhile, the Covid-19 positivity rate continues to maintain an upward trend in the district. On Saturday, 467 samples were tested, of which 158 were positive.
Infection rate skyrocketed to 33.83% from 26.74 % the previous day. The average positivity rate from the last seven days stands at 34.24%.
During the same period, 562 samples were tested in two other labs of the district, of which 186 tested positive for Covid-19. Moreover, a total of 95 samples were tested in Chapainawabganj, of which 28 resulted positive for Covid-19.
No ICU beds empty at RMCH
At any given time, some 50 to 60 patients have to wait for an ICU bed in RMCH which has only 20 seats at the Covid unit.
Authorities said they had 20 ICU beds, which was increased to 30 after the pandemic broke out. However, 10 ICU beds are allocated for other patients.
“Patients who need hypo-canola are less likely to survive. Around 50% of them usually die. The number of ICU beds we have is not enough at all,” Director Yeazdani said.
