Covid-19 death toll crosses 6,000
Professor Mohammod Shahidullah, president of National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19, has tested positive for the Covid-19 along with his family
Highlights
• Total infected: 414,164
• Total death: 6,004
• Total recovery: 331,697
• Total sample test: 2,389,677
The death toll from Covid-19 has crossed the 6,000 mark in Bangladesh, after the country reported 21 new deaths in the last 24 hours till Wednesday 8am.
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) made the disclosure in a press release on Wednesday, adding that the death toll now stands at 6,004.
Commenting on the matter, Prof Nazrul Islam, noted virologist and former vice-chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, told the Business Standard, "Management at the hospitals should be improved to reduce the number of Covid-19 deaths.
"Outside Dhaka, hospitals are still facing a shortage of oxygen and high flow nasal cannulas.
In the 24-hour period, 1,517 people tested positive for the novel coronavirus, bringing the infection tally to 414,164.
Bangladesh reported its maiden Covid-19 cases on 8 March and the first death on 18 March.
The latest day's infection rate was 10.90% of the total tests, though the overall rate in the country till date has been at 17.33%. The death rate stands at 1.45%.
Also, 1,910 patients were declared free of Covid-19 during the same period, raising the total number of recoveries to 331,697 with an 80.09% recovery rate.
Among the latest day's victims, 17 were men and four were women. All of them died in different hospitals across the country. Moreover, 12 of them hailed from Dhaka, five from Chattogram, one each from Khulna, Barishal, Rangpur and Mymensingh divisions.
Meanwhile, 13,914 samples were tested in 114 labs across the country in the past 24 hours. A total of 2,389,677 samples have been tested in the country so far.
Covid advisory committee president tests positive
Professor Mohammod Shahidullah, president of National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 and Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC), and his family members tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Wednesday.
Confirming the matter to The Business Standard, BMDC's Registrar (acting) Dr Arman Hossain, said, "Prof Shahidullah had fever. He is currently in isolation at home. All the members of his family are infected with the novel coronavirus.