Global Covid cases top 195 million

The global Covid-19 caseload has now surpassed 195 million as the highly contagious Delta variant continues to devastate several countries even with mass inoculations underway.

The total caseload and fatalities stand at 195,265,112 and 4,176,605 respectively, as of Wednesday  morning, according to Johns Hopkins University (JHU).

So far, 3,917,974,546 vaccine doses have been administered across the globe.

The US, which is the world's worst-hit country in terms of both cases and deaths, has so far logged 34,603,658 cases. Besides, 611,409 people have lost their lives in the US to date, as per the JHU data.

Brazil registered 578 more Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, raising its national death toll to 550,502, the health ministry said on Monday.

Meanwhile, the total caseload rose to 19,707,662 after 18,999 new cases were detected during the period.

Brazil currently has the world's second-highest pandemic death toll after the United States, and the third-largest caseload after the United States and India.

The third worst-hit country, India's Covid-19 tally rose to 31,440,951 on Tuesday morning as 29,689 new cases were registered in 24 hours across the country, as per the federal health ministry's latest data.

"India reports less than 30,000 daily cases after 132 days," said a statement issued by the ministry.

Besides, as many as 415 deaths due to the pandemic since Monday morning took the total death toll to 421,382.

Situation in Bangladesh

As the country battles a brutal wave of the pandemic, Bangladesh logged a record-high 258 coronavirus-related deaths in 24 hours till Tuesday morning, shattering the previous day's record of 247.

The country has been seeing nearly 200 deaths every day for the past two weeks and breaking records of daily cases and deaths almost every other day.

Besides, 14,925 more people came out Covid positive after the test of 52,478 samples, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

The country saw the highest-ever 15,192 Covid cases on Monday.

With the new numbers, the death tally from Covid-19 reached 19,779 on Tuesday, while the caseload mounted to 1,194,752.

Meanwhile, the daily test-positivity rate declined to 28.44% from Monday's 29.82% while the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a 5% or below rate.

Besides, the case fatality rate rose to 1.66% during the period after remaining unchanged at 1.65% for a few days, said the DGHS.

Vaccination campaign to gain momentum

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday reaffirmed her government's commitment to ensure Covid-19 vaccine doses for all in any case.

The prime minister said she has already given directives to vaccinate the helping hands of a family, including domestic helps and drivers, so that all of a family can remain protected.

The prime minister said 1.87 crore people have so far been vaccinated and all will be brought under the vaccination programme.

The Covid-19 vaccination programme at union level will start across the country on August 7, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Tuesday.

"The prime minister has ordered speeding up the vaccination drive. One can get vaccinated at the union level showing one's NID card. Vaccination centres will be set up in unions across the country before August 7," he said.    

Those who do not have any NID will be vaccinated under a special arrangement, he added.

Meanwhile, the government decided to vaccinate the Rohingya refugees as part of an inclusive vaccination programme. 

Although no start date was offered, those who are above 55 years will be considered in the first phase as per a preliminary decision.

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, while talking to reporters on Tuesday, said the host communities around the Rohingya camps have frequent communication with the refugees and the government wants to keep both protected as well.