Coronavirus lockdown
Covid-19: Strict restrictions imposed in Rajshahi, parts of Khulna, Naogaon
The local administration of some of the border districts have imposed strict restrictions for seven days to check the transmission of the Indian variant of coronavirus.
The decisions were taken after separate meetings as the government allowed the local administrations to impose lockdown if the situation worsens in their areas.
Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner Abdul Jalil announced the restrictions on Wednesday afternoon.
According to the fresh restrictions, none will be allowed to leave their houses from 7 pm to 8 am without any emergency reason in Rajshahi until June 9.
All business establishments and vehicular movement will remain shut during the time except those providing emergency services. However restaurants and traders can provide services online.
However, mango farmers and traders will carry on their business on a limited scale maintaining social distance.
Also read: Naogaon municipality, Niamatpur upazila put under one week lockdown
Similar restrictions have also been imposed in Rupsha Upazila, Khulna Sadar, Sonadanga and Khalishpur upazilas of Khulna for a week which will start from June 4.
Khulna Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Helal Hossain came up with the decision after a meeting with the district coronavirus prevention committee on Wednesday morning in presence of Khulna City Corporation Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleq.
All shops except pharmacies in those places will remain closed for a week from June 4.
Mobile courts and police were instructed to take necessary steps to ensure people maintain the health guidelines.
The city mayor said no gathering would be allowed after evening.
He also instructed all to maintain social distance and use masks.
Also read: Lockdown extended in Rohingya camps, Teknaf upazila
Besides, Naogaon municipality, Niamatpur upazila have been put under lockdown for a week.
Lockdown extended in Rohingya camps, Teknaf upazila
The local administration on Tuesday extended the ongoing lockdown in Teknaf upazila and five Rohingya camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar district in an effort to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission.
The existing lockdown will remain in force till June 6, officials here said.
Also read: Bangladesh sees rise in Covid infections; 41 more die
All the activities inside the Rohingya camps, apart from food and medicine supply, will remain suspended during the lockdown.
Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas both in Cox’s Bazar district and Bhasan Char.
Also read: Strict lockdown imposed in Teknaf and five Rohingya camps
Authorities on May 21 enforced a week-long lockdown at five Rohingya refugee camps in Teknaf and Ukhiya upazilas in Cox’s Bazar following a recent spike in Covid-19 infections in the district.
At the same time, the government also announced a 10-day lockdown in Teknaf upazila to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
Bangladesh sees rise in Covid infections; 41 more die
Amid the growing trend in both the Coronavirus infections and fatalities, Bangladesh logged 41 more deaths, pushing up the death toll to 12,660.
Besides, health authorities detected 1,765 new cases after testing 18,250 samples during the period.
The country’s daily death record remained below 40 since May 25 while it stayed below 50 since May 9.
With the new cases, the total caseload rose to 8,02,305, said a handout of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The daily infection rate slightly increased to 9.47 percent from Monday’s 9.41 percent while the mortality rate remained static at 1.58 percent.
The country has so far tested 59,65,763 samples.
Read:Covid: WHO renames UK and other variants with Greek letters
The DGHS handout says 92.50% of the people infected till now have recovered, including 1,779 who tested negative during the period.
Bangladesh reported its first Coronavirus cases on March 8 last year and the first death on the 18th of that month.
Bangladesh records lowest Covid deaths in over two months
Bangladesh logged 17 more Covid-related deaths in 24 hours until Wednesday morning, the lowest number in 68 days.
The country saw 16 Covid-19 deaths on March 18 last.
Besides, 1,497 new cases were recorded taking the total caseload to 7,93,693, said a handout of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The Covid-19 positivity rate declined to 9.11 percent from Tuesday’s 10.08 percent while the mortality rate remained static at 1.57 percent, the handout said.
Health authorities recorded the new cases after testing 16,434 samples in the last 24 hours.
With 1,056 recoveries in the past 24 hours, the country's recovery rate now stands at 92.46.
As of now, 7,33,866 people have recovered from the disease.
Eight of the 17 deaths recorded today are from Chattogram and five are from Dhaka divisions.
Also read: Bangladesh braces for worst Covid outbreak by June-end: Experts
One each died in Khulna, Barishal, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions.
The country so far carried out 58,71,353 sample tests since reporting its first coronavirus cases on March 8 last year and the first death on March 18, 2020.
Passengers' movement through Indo-Bangla land ports to remain shut till May 31
The government has extended restrictions on the movement of passengers through land ports with India, up to May 31, as India's surge in coronavirus cases continues.
Although borders with India will remain closed to people, goods will continue to cross.
Also read: Bangladesh detects first case of Indian Coronavirus strain
However, Bangladeshi citizens, stranded in India, could enter through Benapole, Akhaura, Burimari Darshana, Hili, and Sonamasjid.
The general movement of people between Bangladesh and India, through all the other land ports, will remain suspended.
Also read: Bangladesh loses 26 more lives to Covid, toll reaches 12,310
Railroads will be encouraged for the export and import of goods between the two countries during this period.
Bangladesh citizens now stranded in India, who qualifies and are willing to return to the country, will have to submit a Covid-19 negative certificate with QR code (RT-PCR) to obtain a no-objection certificate from Bangladesh missions in New Delhi, Kolkata, and Agartala, the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Tripura's Agartala India said Friday.
Also read: Shutting border with India: Experts praise it as prudent decision
Earlier, the government closed the border with India for 14 days with effect from April 26 but cargoes carrying goods were allowed to operate as usual.
Later on May 8, the border suspension was extended for 14 more days.
Covid-19: Bangladesh again sees steep rise in deaths, new cases
Bangladesh on Wednesday witnessed 37 more Covid-19 related deaths in 24 hours until Wednesday morning.
The death tally now stands at 12,248 while the mortality rate remains static at 1.56%.
Besides, the country saw 1,608 new cases with an increased number of tests as 20,538 samples were tested during the period, said a handout of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The infection rate rose to 7.83% from Tuesday’s 7.55%.
Also read: Govt approves proposal to import Sinofarm vaccine
The country reported 30 deaths from the virus on Tuesday and 32 on Monday.
Among the latest fatalities, 24 are men and 13 are women.
Closure of schools, colleges extended until May 29
The government has again extended the closure of secondary and higher secondary level educational institutions until May 29 due to the recent spike in Covid-19 infections.
The decision was taken considering the safety of students, teachers and staffers after consultation with the National Advisory Committee on Covid-19, said an official release signed by M A Khair, public relations officer of the Education Ministry.
During the closure online classes will continue, it said.
Earlier, the government decided to reopen schools and colleges on May 23 and the Education Ministry issued a notice in this regard.
Also read: Covid-19: Ongoing lockdown to be extended until May 23
The government shut educational institutions on March 17 last year after the country reported its first Covid-19 cases on March 8.
The closure was extended several times, most recently until May 23 this year.
On February 22 the education minister announced that university classes would resume on May 24.
Residential halls were scheduled to be reopened on May 17.
Also read: Schools, colleges to reopen on May 23
Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh
Covid-19 claimed 22 more lives in Bangladesh in the past 24 hours until Saturday morning which is the lowest daily deaths in nearly two months.
The country saw 26 Covid deaths on Friday and 31 on Thursday.
With the latest deaths logged today, the official Covid-related death count in the country reached 12,124.
However, the mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.55%, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Also read: Covid-19: 22 more lives lost, lowest daily deaths in 7 weeks
The country witnessed a sharp drop in the number of new cases as the tests have declined dramatically.
Only 261 infections were logged in the last 24 hours after examining 3,758 samples during the period.
The number of daily cases has been decreasing since the beginning of May, falling below 2,000.
Covid-19: 22 more lives lost, lowest daily deaths in 7 weeks
Covid-19 claimed 22 more lives in Bangladesh in the past 24 hours until Saturday morning which is the lowest daily deaths in nearly two months.
The country saw 26 Covid deaths on Friday and 31 on Thursday.
With the latest deaths logged today, the official Covid-related death count in the country reached 12,124.
However, the mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.55%, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The country witnessed a sharp drop in the number of new cases as the tests have declined dramatically.
Only 261 infections were logged in the last 24 hours after examining 3,758 samples during the period.
The number of daily cases has been decreasing since the beginning of May, falling below 2,000.
Besides, the number of tests fell below 20, 00 on May 7 and has been on the wane since.
Also read: Covid-19: Ongoing lockdown to be extended until May 23
The country also confirmed 779,796 Covid-19 cases in total, says the DGHS handout.
The daily infection rate dropped to 6.95% from Friday's 10.82%, while the recovery rate stood at 92.52%.
Bangladesh has so far carried out 5,702,286 tests since reporting the first Covid-19 cases on March 8 last year and the first death from the virus on the 18th of the month.
The country experienced a surge in Covid-19 cases in April, recording its highest single-day cases of 7,626 on April 7. It witnessed over 100 deaths during April 16-19 and on April 25.
Lockdown extended till May 23
The government is going to extend the ongoing lockdown for another week until May 23 to stem the spread of Covid-19.
“The ongoing restrictions will be extended for another week and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given approval to it. A notification will be issued on Sunday,” State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain told UNB on Friday.
The nationwide lockdown, imposed on April 5 to break the chain of Covid-19 infections and fatalities, has been extended several times to limit public movement and contain the surge in daily infections.
Also read: Global Covid cases approach 162 million
Vaccination drive
In late January, countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka started receiving vaccine doses through donations from India and other countries and commercial deals.
Bangladesh launched its vaccination drive on February 7 with Oxford-AstraZeneca doses purchased from India's Serum Institute.
The government signed an agreement with Serum for 30 million doses. But India temporarily halted exports of vaccines on March 24 to prioritise domestic requirements, following an explosion in Covid cases and fatalities in the country.
The move has left the region with a serious shortage of vaccines.
The administering of the first dose in Bangladesh has remained suspended since April 26. Also, the country, the prime recipient of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines, has suspended the registration for Covid-19 jabs due to vaccine shortage amid a delay in the timely arrival of shipments from India.
5 lakh Chinese vaccine doses arrive
Bangladesh on Wednesday received 5 lakh doses of China's Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine as a gift.
Also read: 500 thousand doses of China’s gifted vaccine arrive in Bangladesh
The development came after the WHO listed the Sinopharm vaccine for emergency use, giving a nod for it to be rolled out globally.
Initially reluctant Bangladesh approved the Chinese jabs along with Russia's Sputnik vaccine as the second wave of the pandemic hit the country with dwindling vaccine stock.
India returnee tests Covid-19 positive in N’ganj, house put under lockdown
An India returnee tested positive for Coronavirus in Tarabo area of Rupganj upazila in Narayanganj on Wednesday.
Local administration has put the house of Md Hossain, 25, under lockdown, said Dr Md Imtiaz, Civil Surgeon of the district .
Md Imtiaz said the samples of Hossain and his family members were collected on Tuesday.
Also read: Covid-19 claims 40 more lives, infects 1,144 others
“His tested positive for Covid-19 but his family members tested negative. We have put the house under lockdown and his family members will also stay in isolation,” he said.
Earlier on May 8,the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research(IEDCR) confirmed the first case of Indian Coronavirus strain in Bangladesh.
Also read: Bangladesh detects first case of Indian Coronavirus strain
The Indian strain of Coronavirus was detected in a sample test at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka and it has been published on Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID), said chief scientific officer of IEDCR ASM Alamgir.
Later that day, two more confirmed cases of Indian Coronavirus strain were detected at the Genome Centre of Jessore University of Science and Technology.
Also read: Indian Covid Strain: Two more cases identified in Jessore
Bangladesh decided to extend the closure of border with India for another 14 days on the same day, keeping movement of cargoes carrying goods uninterrupted as the Covid-19 situation keeps worsening in India.
India’s crematoriums and burial grounds are being overwhelmed by the devastating new surge of infections tearing through the populous country with terrifying speed, depleting the supply of life-saving oxygen to critical levels and leaving patients to die while waiting in line to see doctors, reports AP from New Delhi.
Covid-19 claims 40 more lives, infects 1,144 others
Bangladesh has registered 40 more Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 hours until Wednesday morning, showing a rise in the number of daily deaths than the previous day.
With the news deaths the national tally reached at 12,045 on Wednesday. The country witnessed 33 deaths on Tuesday.
Bangladesh has been seeing below 60 daily deaths for a week after recording over 100 fatalities on several occasions in April.
However, the mortality rate rose to 1.55 percent, according to a handout of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Besides, 1,140 new cases were detected after testing of 15,296 samples, pushing up the caseload to 777,397. Bangladesh has so far carried out 5,677,222 tests.The daily infection rate fell slightly to 7.45 percent from Tuesday’s 8.67 percent.
Bangladesh was experiencing a surge in Covid-19 cases in April and the daily cases came down to below 2000 since May 1.
DGHS said 2,928 patients recovered in the past 24 hours, taking the recovery rate to 92.39 percent.
Also Read: Covid-19: Bangladesh sees 41 deaths in 24 hours, lowest in 39 days
The country reported its first coronavirus cases on March 8 last year and the first death on the 18th of that month.
Dhaka worst-hit region
Dhaka has remained the worst-hit division, recording 6,972 fatalities or 57.88 percent of the total deaths until now.
Of the total daily deaths, sixteen deaths have been reported from Dhaka alone while 13 from Chattogrram.
Extended lockdown
The lockdown imposed on April 4 to contain the spread of coronavirus has been extended till May 16 as the government continues to discourage people from travelling to their village homes.
Officials of all government, semi-government autonomous and private organisations, banks and financial institutions have been asked to remain at their respective workstations during the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.
Inter-district transport services have remained closed while intra-district transport services were allowed to operate ensuring health guidelines. Launch and train services remain off.
Also Read: 500 thousand doses of China’s gifted vaccine arrive in Bangladesh
But the restrictions could not deter people from travelling to their village homes ignoring health risks.
Vaccination drive
Bangladesh launched its vaccination drive on February 7 with Oxford-AstraZeneca doses purchased from India's Serum Institute.
The government signed an agreement with Serum for 30 million doses. But a record number of cases in India has made the delivery of the doses uncertain.
The administering of the first dose has remained suspended since April 26. Also, the country, the prime recipient of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines, has suspended the registration for Covid-19 jabs due to vaccine shortage amid a delay in the timely arrival of shipments from India.
In the last 24 hours, 10 people have received the first dose of the vaccine while 97,337 have received the second dose, said the health directorate.
Also Read: Nothing to be worried about vaccines: FM
Vaccine arrives from China
Covid-19 vaccine doses, donated by the Chinese government to Bangladesh, arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday morning.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic last year, China and Bangladesh have been supporting and assisting each other to fight together against the pandemic.
China has donated and is donating vaccines to 80 developing countries with urgent needs, and has provided support under COVAX for the emergency use of vaccines in developing countries.