Daily Covid cases cross 1000-mark after four months

After four months, Bangladesh on Wednesday reported over 1,000 fresh cases of the coronavirus as the positivity rate surged to 13.30%.

According to government data, 1,135 more people contracted Covid-19 in the last 24 hours till 8am on the day after testing 8,536 samples across the country while one person was confirmed to have died from the deadly virus.

The daily Covid cases in Bangladesh last crossed the 1,000-mark on 25 February, when 1,406 cases were reported.

Earlier, on 15 February, the country reported a 13.77% positivity rate.

In the last 24 hours , 122 Covid-19 patients recovered, recording the recovery rate at 97.29%.

According to the World Health Organisation, Covid-19 infections are considered to be under control if a country's detection rate remains below 5% for more than two consecutive weeks.

Prof Nazrul Islam, noted virologist and member of the National Technical Advisory committee on Covid-19, told The Business Standard, that Covid-19 cases were increasing geometrically. 

Now everyone must wear a mask and maintain physical distance, according to Prof Nazrul. 

The rate of second dose vaccination should be increased rapidly. 

Those who had not taken booster doses should take the doses, he added.

Just a day ago, the country reported one death from the viral infection and 874 new cases, and the positivity rate was 11.03%.

So far, 29,134 people have died and 19,59,209 tested positive in Bangladesh since 2020. 

Bangladesh reported identifying the first Covid-19 patient on 8 March 2020 and the first death on 18 March the same year. 

Afterwards, it saw gradual rises in the number of cases and casualties.