Bangladesh reports 892 Covid cases, the highest in 3 months

Bangladesh reported three deaths from Covid-19 and 892 new cases in the last 24 hours till 8 am on Wednesday. 

The positivity rate increased to 4.20%, up from 3.91% a day ago, which is the highest since 2 October.

Earlier, on 29 September last year, Bangladesh reported 1178 Covid cases but then, the daily cases started going down and were recorded at below 800 for the past few months. 

According to a Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) estimate, in the last one week, Covid-19 infections have increased by 63% in the country, said Professor Dr Nazmul Islam, a spokesperson of DGHS.

"In the last seven days, 3,892 people tested positive for Covid, which is more than 1,503 from last week," he added.

With the latest additions, the death toll reached 28,090 and the case tally climbed to 15,88,807 in the country. The country's maiden cases were reported on 8 March 2020 and the first death from the virus was reported on 18 March the same year. 

Meanwhile, the DGHS has urged the government not to announce new election schedules after the end of the ongoing elections, given the deteriorating condition of Covid-19 in the country.

"The Covid-19 situation was fairly stable in the country these past few months but now as it is worsening, we must brace ourselves. India is in a vulnerable condition right now due to the new variant of the virus and if I were to speak from experience, I would say we must expect the worse in Bangladesh as well," said Professor Dr Ahmedul Kabir, additional director general of DGHS.

He said the next two-three months are crucial in determining the Covid-19 situation in the country for the rest of the year. 

Earlier, health secretary Lokman Hossain Miah said the latest health guidelines would be issued within the week.