Directorate General of Health Services
Covid vaccine stock running out: DGHS
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Wednesday said the stock of the Covid-19 vaccine is running out in Bangladesh as there are only 14 lakh jabs in government hands with no sign in sight to get a fresh consignment of it from India.
Speaking at a virtual press briefing, DGHS spokesperson Dr Robed Amin said, “We had around one crore and two lakh vaccines in our hands…around 88 lakh jabs have already been administered as the first and second doses. Now we’ve some 14 lakh doses in stock.”
He said there will be a vaccine crisis if a fresh consignment does not arrive in the country before the existing stock is exhausted.
Also read: Bangladesh approves emergency use of Chinese Covid vaccine
Robed said 58,19,719 people have so far received the first dose of the vaccine while 30,23,169 got the second one.
As per official statistics, the country lacks over 14 lakh second doses of the vaccine to administer those who received the first jab.
Amid the vaccine crisis, the government suspended administering the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine on April 26.
The DGHS spokesman, however, hoped that the county may get vaccine doses from Chain before Eid-ul-Fitr.
Besides, he said, a process is underway to give clearance by the Health Ministry for procuring Russia's Sputnik V vaccine.
Robed said Renata Limited, a Bangladeshi pharmaceutical company, has sought permission from the government to import Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine and discussions are going on in this regard.
He said three pharmaceuticals’ companies in the country have already contacted the government as they want to produce Covid vaccine in the country. “The three companies are hopeful that they’ll be able to produce 1.5 crore vaccines in a year in Bangladesh.”
He said the government and DGHS assessed their capacity to manufacture vaccines.
The DGHS official said the Covid situation has improved in the country significantly over the last one week as the virus transmission rate continues to drop.
Stating that the virus positivity rate came down to 8.71% on Tuesday, he said there is no room for complacency over the current situation as the positive cases may spike again for any kind of negligence.
Also read: Bangladesh approves local production of Russian, Chinese Covid vaccines
Robed said the health safety rules must be maintained and the public movement will have to be restricted to maintain the declining trend of the virus transmission.
He also urged people to wear masks whenever they come out of their homes as it is the best preventive gear against possible Covid infections.
Bangladesh to get 21 lakh Covid vaccine doses by early May: DGHS
Bangladesh will get 21 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccine by the first week of May, said DG of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam on Sunday.
“Most of these vaccine doses will be imported by Beximco Pharmaceuticals,” he told reporters following an online discussion meeting marking World Malaria Day.
Among the doses, one lakh are of COVAX while Serum Institute of India will supply the rest, Khurshid Alam said.
Also read: How long does protection from COVID-19 vaccines last?
“We’ll continue administering the first doses of the vaccine alongside completing the second doses,” the DG said, adding, “We’ll also get vaccine/s from China as a gift. The Covid-19 National Technical Advisory Committee will take the decision on how those will be administered.”
He also told the journalists that three of the local pharmaceutical companies have the capacity to produce Covid-19 vaccines.
As the deadly variant of the virus is being spread rapidly across India, a proposal has been sent to the authorities concerned to stop all the communications with the neighbouring country, except the transportation of emergency goods, he said.
Read Around 6,000 Americans contracted Covid after being fully vaccinated, 74 died: CDC
Lockdown: Pvt cars rise on Dhaka roads
The movement of private vehicles has increased significantly over the last few days even with the government extending the ongoing lockdown for another week to counter the rising Covid-19 cases.
People who have obtained their movement passes are allowed to commute in their vehicles while those in essential services are exempted from the restrictions, as per the directives of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
On Thursday, rickshaws, which provide last-mile connectivity to the residents, were, however, seen plying on many roads in the capital, including Mirpur Road, Banani and Mohakhali areas.
The garment workers have been allowed to join their workplaces as the government has kept the export-oriented industries open during the lockdown.
Shops and shopping malls, however, remained closed as the government has enforced a stricter lockdown to stem the spread of Covid-19 cases.
Police and RAB members were seen monitoring the movement of vehicles and people after setting up check-posts in different areas of the capital.
Asaduzzaman, a traffic Inspector, said, “The movement of private vehicles and rickshaws have increased in the last few days but we are allowing only those who movement passes to commute."
"Those in emergency services are allowed to move freely," he added.
Also read:Bangladesh put under complete lockdown amid Covid spike
A surge in coronavirus cases prompted the government to go for an eight-day complete lockdown from April 14. The cabinet division issued a notification in this regard on April 12.
Later, following the shattering situation of Covid-19 cases, the government extended the ongoing lockdown by another week from April 22 in an effort to bring the situation under control.
A circular was issued on April 20 extending the ongoing strict lockdown for another week from April 22, aiming to curb the transmission of Covid-19.
The operations of international special flights and banking activities will continue while other restrictions will remain in force till 28 April midnight.
"The lockdown will remain in force from April 22 to 28 with the same restrictions imposed in the previous week. It’ll be a tougher one,” State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain said on April 19.
Also read:Fresh lockdown from Apr 22: State Minister
As coronavirus cases continued to rise alarmingly since mid-March, the government imposed an apparently loose nationwide lockdown for one week from April 5 as part of its move to contain its spread. Later a stricter lockdown was declared from April 14 to 21.
Covid-19 situation
Bangladesh registered 95 more Covid-related deaths in 24 hours till Wednesday that pushed up the total number of fatalities to 10,683.
Besides, 4,280 people were found infected during the period after testing of 28,408 samples, the Directorate General of Health Services said in a handout.
On April 19, the country broke all the previous records of Covid-19 deaths registering 112 fatalities.
Bangladesh reported its first coronavirus cases on March 8 last year and the first death on the 18th of that month.
Health authorities have so far confirmed 732,060 cases. Among them, 635,183 people -- 86.77 percent of all patients -- have recovered.
Bangladesh set to go under complete lockdown from Apr 14; notification Sunday
As the spread of Coronavirus has sparked alarm across the country, the government is set to issue a notification on Saturday over enforcing a fresh nationwide lockdown from April 14 in its desperate bid to stop the spread of the deadly virus.
A fresh lockdown is coming with tougher measures as the virus keeps spreading fast in the country, State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain said while talking to UNB about the lockdown notification.
“The country saw the highest death from Covid-19 today. The situation will get out of hand if we don’t take tougher measures. So, we’ve decided to go for an all-out lockdown from April 14,” he said.
Also read: Bangladesh again breaks daily Covid death record with 77
Replying to a question whether there would be any restriction for April 12 and 13 after the ongoing 7-day lockdown tomorrow (Sunday), the state minister said there would be directives regarding these two days in tomorrow’s (Sunday’s) notification.
Everything except emergency services will be closed this time, said Farhad Hossain adding, “Garment factories, transport movement and all the offices except those of emergency services will remain shut.”
New medical board for UNB’s Bargerhat correspondent
A new medical board has been formed for the treatment of UNB’s Bagerhat correspondent Bisnu Proshad Chakrabortty, who is now undergoing treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).
The head of various departments of the hospital have been included in the board, said BSMMU source.
The reports of different medical tests of Bisnu will be placed before the board on Wednesday.
On March 22, a nine-member medical board was formed to check the health condition of Bisnu.
Also read: UNB Bagerhat correspondent Bisnu admitted to BSMMU
Prof. Dr. Sohel Mahmud Arafat, chairman of the Medicine Department of BSMMU, was made the chief of the nine-member medical team.
However, no specific disease has been diagnosed yet.
Earlier, Bisnu was brought to Dhaka by an air ambulance from Bagerhat and then admitted to BSMMU on March 16.
Bisnu developed various symptoms, including high fever, shortness of breath, headache and chest pain, after receiving the first dose of coronavirus vaccine on February 7 at Bagerhat Sadar Hospital.
He was earlier treated at Bagerhat Sadar Hospital and then shifted to Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH).
An expert medical board, formed to treat him, conducted various tests but failed to diagnose any specific disease.
Also read: Medical board formed for treatment of UNB’s Bargerhat correspondent
Later, Bisnu took treatment at home under the supervision of the health department.
On March 11, Deputy Commissioner of Bagerhat ANM Faizul Haque visited Bisnu at his home and enquired about his health condition.
Also read: Bangladesh’s Covid-19 tally crosses 6 lakh
Covid-19 situation
The country’s coronavirus caseload swelled to 600,895 on Monday after the health authorities recorded 5,181 new cases in 24 hours until the morning.
Along with the high number of cases, 45 coronavirus-related deaths were also recorded, pushing the death tally to 8,949, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said in a handout.
The latest cases were reported after testing 28,195 samples.
The infection rate jumped to 18.38 percent on Monday from 17.65 percent on Sunday.
However, the death rate stands at 1.49 percent.
Bangladesh’s Covid-19 tally crosses 6 lakh
The country’s coronavirus caseload swelled to 600,895 on Monday after the health authorities recorded 5,181 new cases in 24 hours until the morning.
Along with the high number of cases, 45 coronavirus-related deaths were also recorded, pushing the death tally to 8,949, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said in a handout.
Also read: No risk of contracting Covid-19 due to vaccination: DGHS
The latest cases were reported after testing 28,195 samples.
The infection rate jumped to 18.38 percent on Monday from 17.65 percent on Sunday.
However, the death rate stands at 1.49 percent.
During this 24-hour period, 2,077 coronavirus patients recovered. So far, 538,018 patients have made recoveries.
Also read:Covid-19 vaccine not a 'silver bullet': WHO
Twenty-eight people died in Dhaka Division, six in Chattogram, five in Rajshahi, three in Khulna and one each in Barishal, Mymensingh and Rangpur.
Covid-19: Bangladesh records 3-month high 39 deaths; 3,674 fresh cases
Amid rapid surge in Covid-19 cases in Bangladesh, 39 new deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours until Saturday, the highest single-day death toll in the past 3 months.
According to the latest figures provided by the country’s health authorities, 3,674 more people got infected during the period, pushing up the total caseload to 5, 91,860.
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh reports highest daily cases in 9 months
The latest figures have pushed the Covid-19 fatalities to 8,869 according to the handout by Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The infection rate jumped to 14.90 percent on Saturday from 13.69 percent a day earlier.
However the death rate stands at 1.5 percent, said the handout.
Also read: Brazil becomes 2nd nation to top 300,000 COVID-19 deaths
So far, 533,922 patients (90.22 percent) have recovered, including 1,971 in the last 24 hours, according to DGHS.
Bangladesh reported its first cases on March 8, 2020 and the first death on March 18 the same year.
Health authorities have so far tested 4,566,694 samples, including 24,664 in the past 24 hours.
Amid spike in infections, the government has taken a tougher stance to fight Covid-19 transmission.
The Health Ministry sent letters to districts, directing the officials concerned to impose fines on people flouting Covid protocols.
Also read: Can I take painkillers before or after a COVID-19 vaccine?
The country launched a countrywide vaccination drive on Feb 7. As the daily infection rate keeps rising, the government extended the closure of school and colleges until May 23.
Covid-19: Bangladesh records 3-month high 34 deaths; 3,587 fresh cases
Coronavirus claimed 34 more lives in Bangladesh in the last 24 hours till Thursday, a record number of deaths in the past three months.
According to the latest figures provided by the country’s health authorities, 3,587 more people got infected during the period, pushing up the total caseload to 5,84,395.
Also read: Global Covid cases near 125 million
With the latest death toll, the coronavirus fatalities rose to 8,763 in Bangladesh, said a handout of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The infection rate jumped to 13.26 percent from 12.97 percent a day before.
Also read: Brazil becomes 2nd nation to top 300,000 COVID-19 deaths
Covid-19: Bangladesh’s daily infection rate rises to 10.29%, 22 more die
Amid a worrying surge in Covid-19 infections, Bangladesh recorded 22 more deaths and 2,172 new cases in the last 24 hours until Sunday morning .
Covid-19: Bangladesh’s daily infection rate falls slightly to 9.39%, 26 more die
Bangladesh’s daily Covid-19 infection rate fell slightly to 9.39 percent on Saturday from 10.04 percent a day earlier.