Bangladesh on Friday witnessed a record rise of 2,523 new Covid-19 cases, highest single-day jump so far, ahead of the reopening from ‘general holidays’ on Sunday.
Twenty-three more patients died during the 24 hour period till 8am of Friday. With that, according to the government update, the number of total cases surged to 42,844 and deaths 582.
The number of recoveries also rose to 9,015 after another 590 patients released from hospitals in the last 24 hours.
Updating the nation in the daily virtual bulletin, Additional Director General for Health Prof Nasima Sultana said they had tested 11,301 samples in 49 labs across Bangladesh during the period.
The yet another grim picture came when the government decided to reopen from the general holidays on May 31.
However, the national technical advisory committee on Covid-19 which was formed to advise the health ministry in a statement said they warned against easing the movement of people.
The number of patients will increase extensively and health sector will be under immense pressure, they said in a statement.
In a recommendation letter, signed by committee president Professor Dr. Mohammod Shahidullah, it said, Covid-19 is a contagious disease, which spreads through cough and touch.
“This virus spreads rapidly in the crowd. Other countries experienced rise in the number of positive patients after withdrawing lockdown before the infection rate fell to a certain level. Bangladesh’s national committee suggested about not to ease lockdown earlier on May 7.”
Analysis of latest cases, deaths
Of the latest deaths, 19 are male and four female.
Of them, 10 are from Dhaka division, 9 from Chattogram and two from Rangpur and one each from Barishal and Sylhet.
The death rate from Covid-19 infections is 1.36 percent, and infection rate is 22.33 percent, while the recovery rate is 21.04 percent, the Additional Director General said.
So far, the government has tested 287,067 samples in Bangladesh.
Currently, 60,275 people are quarantined across the country – including 4,900 newly-quarantined individuals. 2,918 people got released from quarantine in the last 24 hours.
The authorities placed 328 new individuals suspected of having Covid-19 into isolation and 172 people were released from isolation units in the last 24 hours.
Currently, 5,140 are staying in isolation units across the country, Prof Nasima said.
Bangladesh first reported the cases on March 8 and deaths on March 18. The World Health Organisation declared the virus pandemic on March 11.
The virus killed 362,365 people and infected 5,920,231 globally, so far.
