Daily Covid positivity rate continues to rise

The Covid-19 positivity rate in the country continued its upward trend, reaching 16.74% on Tuesday, the highest in the last four and a half months.

On 10 February, the positivity rate was reported to be 16.95%.

The country reported 232 new cases, testing 5,986 samples in the 24 hours till 8am Wednesday, according to a press release of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

On Tuesday, seven deaths and 1,998 new cases were identified, testing 11,932 samples.

Just one day ago, the country reported 12 deaths and 2,285 new cases, testing 13,842 samples, and the positivity rate was 16.51%. 

On Tuesday, the number of deaths and cases decreased but the positivity rate increased.

Professor Nazrul Islam, noted virologist and member of the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19, told The Business Standard (TBS), "Covid-19 infection increases rapidly with this omicron sub-variant. Infections will increase outside Dhaka too in a few days as many people are going out of Dhaka during the Eid holidays without practicing proper hygiene rules in all likelihood.''

However, infections are expected to decrease from the first week of August. Everyone should wear a mask and stay away from crowds to be protected from Covid-19. Those who have not yet received a second dose and a Covid vaccine booster dose, should take the vaccine as soon as possible,' the virologist added.

So far, 29,181 people have died and 19,82,972 have tested positive for the virus in Bangladesh since 2020.