No let-up in new virus infections

The number of new coronavirus cases has gone up sharply in the country following a substantial rise in the number of medical tests, officials said.

In the last 24 hours, ending on Tuesday noon, 3,200 more people were tested COVID-19 positive, and this is the highest single-day caseload recorded here since July 15.

Bangladesh kept counting comparatively lower number of confirmed cases over the last several weeks because of the sharp fall in the number of medical screening.

During this period, the average number of daily tests declined to around 12,000 from around 15,000 in between June and mid-July.

As the number of tests crossed 14,000 in the last 24 hours until Tuesday noon, the daily caseload also jumped to 3,200, and the infection rate was as high as 21.87 per cent.

Tuesday also saw the highest number of fatalities after August 04, with 46 more patients succumbed to the respiratory disease, caused by the new coronavirus that was first found in China's Hubei province in last December.

However, the day was quite well as far as recovery was concerned, as 3,234 more patients got cured, taking the recovery rate to 57.67 per cent.

On the 162nd day since the first coronavirus case was detected in the country on March 8, the overall number of COVID-19 tests reached 13,78,819, and the total infection rate was as high as 20.48 per cent.

According to the health bulletin of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) - issued on Tuesday, a total of 14,630 samples were tested across the country in 24 hours since Monday noon. Of the tests, some 3,200 samples were found COVID-19 positive along with 46 more deaths recorded across the country during the period, it added.

"With these latest numbers, the overall tally of confirmed cases and deaths rose to 2,82,344 and 3,740 respectively," the health bulletin, signed by DGHS additional director general Dr Nasima Sultana stated.

Twenty-three of the latest deaths were recorded in Dhaka division, followed by seven in Khulna, six in Chattogram, four in Rajshahi, three in Rangpur, two in Barishal, and one in Mymensingh division, the DGHS sources said.

At the same time, 3,234 patients recovered, taking the entire tally of recovery to 1,62,825. The recovery rate was 57.67 per cent, they added.

Globally, over 22.0 million people have been infected by the novel coronavirus, and 7,78,219 have died until Tuesday 6:20 pm, according to Worldometer info.

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