Covid: July already overtakes deadliest April
A virologist says infections may explode due to Eid movements, pushing up the death tally further
With 2,549 lives lost to Covid-19 in the first 14 days, July has already broken the record of monthly fatality count in the deadliest April this year.
In April, 2,404 coronavirus patients died as the month recorded the highest 112 deaths on a single day. Besides, the daily death counts crossed the 100-plus mark five times in that month.
But the first half of this July has already witnessed 200 plus deaths for the fourth day in a row Wednesday, and 100 plus deaths for the previous eight days. This month also reported the single-day highest 230 fatalities.
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In the past 24 hours until Wednesday, the country reported 210 deaths and 12,383 new cases, according to the health directorate. The latest single-day positivity rate stands at 29.14%.
Public health experts said the fatality counts are less likely to calm down now, rather the Eid-centric movements with the eased movement curbs may push up the death curve.
"The infection curve will jump again after the Eid due to the movements. Then the daily deaths will also rise," said Prof Nazrul Islam, a noted virologist and the former vice-chancellor of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.
The health directorate also expressed its concern over relaxing the virus curbs from 14 July to 23 July centring the Eid.
"We the health ministry and health directorate certainly fear that relaxing the curbs may edge up the infection rates. But we have to follow whatever order the government gives," Prof Robed Amin, a spokesperson of the health directorate, told the daily Covid bulletin Wednesday.
He said the health authorities are now emphasising personal virus safety measures. "We must wear face masks and maintain social distancing at shopping malls, cattle markets and elsewhere in the upcoming Eid."
The health directorate spokesperson said people, however, are not maintaining the health guidelines properly, and both infections and deaths would go up after Eid if the citizens continue a lax approach to personal virus safety.
According to the health directorate, the Covid-19 death rate is now at 1.61% -- up from previous month's 1.5%. with 2.6% fatalities, Khulna tops divisional death rates.
Not only the elderly citizens, many of the younger population with no comorbidity factors have been losing the fight against the infection in this second wave.
During the peak of Covid first wave in July 2020, the highest daily caseload was 1,264 while the highest single-day deaths were 55.
'Infections show no sign of slowing down'
Since the Covid-19 outbreak in Bangladesh in March last year, movement curbs were imposed multiple times in the wake of infection surge, and the non-pharmaceutical weapon to fight the pandemic proved successful.
But a 14-day lockdown in July and the rising infection curve at the same time confuse health experts.
"This is very concerning," said Dr M Mushtuq Husain, adviser at the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).
Mushtuq Husain said the infection rate usually falls after two weeks of the movement curbs. But the infections this July show no sign of slowing down.
"To reduce the daily deaths, we must focus on public health management. We should set up community level isolation centres," he added.
Prof Nazrul Islam also emphasised expanding the medical capacity to rein in the fatality rates. Apart from health guidelines, he advocated for more beds at hospitals and adequate oxygen supply to the health facilities.
In a separate note, Dr Mushtuq said the government should clarify the causes related to livelihood that forced easing the curbs. Otherwise, people might get a wrong message assuming the situation returned to normal.
