Covid-19 bd
Bangladesh records 212 more Covid deaths setting off alarm bells
As Bangladesh races to head off a surge in Covid-19 cases driven by the Delta variant, the country added 212 fatalities to its national tally on Friday, up from 166 logged a week earlier.
The country has been shattering the records of daily cases and deaths almost every other day, reporting over 200 single-day fatalities for the last six days as it tries to prevent the spread of the Delta variant.
The rapid rise in cases and fatalities in July is enough to set off alarm bells, showing the pandemic is far from slowing down in Bangladesh.
The Covid-19 infections are at their peak now, with 12,293 new cases reported on average each day, plunging the country into uncertainty.
As the worst days of the pandemic are not over, Bangladesh recorded 13,862 new cases on Friday after testing 45,044 samples, up from 6,364 logged a week earlier on 23 July.
Mass vaccination only solution to Covid crisis: GM Quader
Urging the government to gear up the mass vaccination drive to return to normalcy, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Friday said lockdown is not a solution to the current Covid crisis in Bangladesh.
“Lockdown and curfew are not a solution to the current (Covid) situation in our country. The mass vaccination drive needs to be strengthened further …. the public life will be normal only with that,” he said in a statement.
The Jatiya Party chief called upon the government to set up field hospitals with the required number of doctors and health workers in the virus-hit areas to ensure proper treatment of people. “It’ll help protect people’s lives and ease their sufferings.”
Also read: GM Quader demands probe into vaccine, Covid test costs
He said a lockdown is in force now in the country, but it is not possible to keep people at home. "Lockdown won’t be successful in Bangladesh given our reality.”
Quoting the findings of different studies, Quader said around 2.5 crore people of the country have come down below the poverty line afresh in the one year of corona pandemic alongside previous 3.5 poor people.
“Most of the poor people don’t have food at home and money in their pockets to buy medicines and baby food. So, it’s not possible to keep such people at home by enforcing a lockdown,” he observed.
Also read: Much of health sector allocation being looted: GM Quader
The Jatiya Party chairman said the assistance being provided by the government is too inadequate while a large part of it is not reaching the real poor. “So, in the current situation of our country, any lockdown and curfew can’t give any solution to the crisis.”
Amid the lockdown, he said, around 15,000 people are being infected daily with the coronavirus and over 200 deaths are being reported.
GM Quader said the infections and mortality are on the rise and there is no visible sign of decline in the virus infection. “So, the Covid situation is not improving with the lockdown, but it has increased the misery of the working people several times. Every day, the number of poor people is rising.”
Covid-19 in Bangladesh: Schools, colleges to remain closed until Aug 31
The government has again extended the closure of secondary and higher secondary-level educational institutions until August 31 due to the worsening Covid-19 situation in the country.
The decision was taken considering the safety of students, teachers and staffers in consultation with the National Advisory Committee on Covid-19, said an official release signed by MA Khair, public relations officer of the Education Ministry on Thursday.
Earlier, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni said the government had decided to reopen educational institutions, particularly the primary, secondary and higher secondary ones, in Bangladesh on June 13 if the Covid-19 situation does not deteriorate.
Later, the government announced the extension of closure of schools and colleges till July 31, and the Education Ministry issued a notice in this regard.
The government shut educational institutions on March 17 last year after the country reported its first Covid-19 cases on March 8.
Read: Covid-19: Bangladesh lowers vaccination age to 25
The closure was extended several times after that.
On February 22, the education minister announced that university classes would resume on May 24. Residential halls were also scheduled to be reopened on May 17. But that did not happen due to the worsening pandemic.
Covid situation in Bangladesh
As the Delta variant of Covid-19 engulfed the country, Bangladesh recorded 239 more deaths caused by the virus in 24 hours till Thursday morning.
Besides, 15,271 new people came out Covid positive during the period after the test of 52,282 samples, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The fresh cases took the country’s Covid death tally to 20,255 today while the caseload to 1,226,253.
Read: Covid in Bangladesh: Daily toll remains above 200; 15,271 more infected
The country has been seeing nearly 200 deaths a day for the past two weeks, shattering the records of daily cases and deaths almost every other day.
Meanwhile, the daily test-positivity rate declined slightly to 29.21% from Wednesday's 30.12% while the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a 5% or below rate.
However, the case fatality rate remained unchanged at 1.65 % during the period, said the DGHS.
Lockdown Breaches: 568 arrested in Dhaka on 7th day
Police arrested 568 people in Dhaka for violating lockdown restrictions on the 7th day of the 14-day countrywide lockdown on Wednesday.
The arrestees failed to show any valid reason for coming out on the streets, said DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (media) Iftekharul Islam.
Meanwhile, mobile courts collected Tk 3,40,100 as fines from 206 people.
During this time, the Traffic Division collected Tk 9,97,500 as penalties from 431 vehicles for failing to comply with coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
Read: People find 'easy excuses' to defy lockdown in Dhaka
However, any amount of fines or deaths recorded due to Covid-19 is apparently not enough to keep people at their home as traffic on the streets of capital Dhaka is increasing with every passing day amid the lockdown.
The number of vehicles and people increased substantially on Dhaka streets on Thursday.
Many people were seen coming out and wandering without any valid reason while health protocols are hardly maintained in most cases.
However, the movement of private vehicles has increased as many private offices have arranged vehicles for the movement of their own staff. But public transport stayed off the roads as per the directives of the government.
Read: Covid in Bangladesh: Daily toll remains above 200; 15,271 more infected
People were seen reaching their destinations by rickshaws as it is available during the lockdown.
Traffic inspector Asaduzzaman, said, “The number of vehicles is increasing day by day. We’re checking every vehicle. Those who failed to justify their outdoor movement are fined and cases lodged for violating lockdown rules.”
Covid in Bangladesh: Daily toll remains above 200; 15,271 more infected
As the Delta variant of Covid-19 engulfed the country, Bangladesh recorded 239 more deaths caused by the virus in 24 hours till Thursday morning.
Besides, 15,271 new people came out Covid positive during the period after the test of 52,282 samples, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The fresh cases took the country’s Covid death tally to 20,255 today while the caseload to 1,226,253.
The country has been seeing nearly 200 deaths a day for the past two weeks, shattering the records of daily cases and deaths almost every other day.
Meanwhile, the daily test-positivity rate declined slightly to 29.21% from Wednesday's 30.12% while the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a 5% or below rate.
Read: Covid claims 41 more lives in Khulna division
However, the case fatality rate remained unchanged at 1.65 % during the period, said the DGHS.
The recovery rate too increased slightly to 85.64 % from Tuesday’s 85.54 % with the recovery of more 14,336 patients.
Lockdown Breaches: 562 arrested as movement of vehicles, people increase on 6th day
Police arrested 562 people for being out there on the streets violating restrictions even as the capital city saw an increased number of private cars and public movement on the 6th day of the 14-day lockdown on Wednesday.
The arrestees failed to show any valid reason for coming out on the streets, said DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (media) Iftekharul Islam.
Meanwhile, mobile courts collected Tk 1,61,130 as fines from 208 people.
During this time, the Traffic Division collected Tk 1,13,0000 as penalties from 489 vehicles for failing to comply with coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
Despite the measures taken by the authorities, people continue to venture out with families and friends in the capital defying the lockdown rules even though the Covid outbreak has turned vicious in the country.
Read: People find 'easy excuses' to defy lockdown in Dhaka
There was nothing different on Wednesday as people were seen roaming without emergency reasons with private cars and rickshaws plying everywhere.
Dhaka wore almost a normal look with an increased number of vehicles and people on the streets. Only the movement of public transport remained suspended as per the government restrictions.
Covid death toll in Bangladesh crosses 20,000 with 237 new fatalities
As the highly transmissible Delta variant keeps sweeping through the country, Bangladesh logged off 237 Coronavirus-related deaths in 24 hours till Wednesday morning, taking the death toll to 20,016.
The country has been seeing nearly 200 deaths a day for the past two weeks, and shattered the records of daily cases and deaths almost every other day.
Besides, 16,230 more people came out Covid positive after the test of 53,877 samples, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
This is the highest-ever single-day transmission after the country saw the largest-ever 15,192 Covid cases on Monday.
Also read: Covid claims 31 more lives in Khulna division
Dhaka finds new normal amid lockdown, arrests
As the ‘strict’ lockdown rolled into its 5th straight day on Tuesday, the streets in capital Dhaka saw a higher number of private vehicles with people trying to pick up the social life amid the worsening Covid situation.
When the restrictions were reimposed just after Eid-ul-Azha, the roads in the capital had fallen silent in the first few days. Part of it was the fact that many had retreated to their home districts or villages for Eid holiday, and were yet to return.
But now things are changing fast with every passing day as the roads are becoming busier with the bustle of vehicles with many people returning to Dhaka defying the Covid restrictions and warnings by health authorities.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Tuesday arrested 555 people in the capital - maintaining the level from the previous two days and the traffic police department fined 497 vehicles a total of Tk 11,73,000 for violating lockdown rules.
Meanwhile, 236 people across the city were fined Tk 4,83,975 by mobile court for not following health guidelines and restrictions.
Lockdown Day 3: Banks reopen, 587 arrested, Tk 12.7 lakh fined
The third day of the ongoing strict lockdown saw increased number of people and vehicles on the streets of capital city on Sunday as police made more arrests and collected bigger sum of fines.
The increased movement may partly be due to the reopening of banks and return of Eid holidaymakers to the city, police said.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested 587 people and traffic police collected Tk 12,72,000 as fines from 521 vehicles for violating lockdown rules on Sunday.
Meanwhile, 233 people across the city were fined Tk 1,00,950 by mobile courts for not following the restrictions and health guidelines.
Read: Day 2 of reinforced lockdown: 383 arrested in capital
RAB and Army personnel patrolling the streets of the city alongside local police, were seen monitoring the movement of vehicles and people setting up strategic check-posts in different areas.
Though check-posts were set up from Gabtoli-Mirpur Road-New Market to Uattara-Airport-Mohakhali, to prevent unwanted movement, people on the streets showed different excuses when caught by law enforcers, Traffic officer Asaduzzaman of Mohakhai said.
“Many people were still returning to the city after the Eid holidays.”
Though some were seen carrying luggage on foot, a good number of people were halted at the entry points of the city including Abdullahpur, Uttara, Tongi, Amin Bazar bridge and Babu Bazar bridge, he said.
Read: 403 arrests on day 1 prove lockdown back in earnest
However, as per the government instructions, only ambulances and those in emergency services were allowed to enter the capital.
On Thursday, State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain told UNB that this lockdown would be stricter than the one imposed last time. "Police, the paramilitary Bangladesh Border Guard and the Army will keep a strict vigil on the roads."
The second round of strict lockdown started on 8 am of July 23 that would continue till Aug. 5 unless further extended.
Age limit to be lowered to 18 for Covid vaccination: Health DG
The government is going to lower the minimum age limit for Covid vaccination to 18 from 30 years as per a directive of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a bid to bring more people under the coverage of the mass vaccination programme.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given an instruction in this regard this (Friday) morning. We’ll implement it at the earliest possible time after discussions with the Health Minister,” said Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
He made the remarks while talking to reporters after visiting Covid-dedicated Mugda General Hospital in the capital on Friday.
The DGHS DG said the government is also thinking of expanding the vaccination programme to the village level. “The government is planning whether the corona vaccines can be given to rural people in the same way they receive other vaccines.”
Read: Dhaka to receive 2.45 lakh AstraZeneca jabs from Tokyo Saturday
“If this decision is implemented, then people will be able to get the vaccine doses by showing the national identity cards and the vaccination cards, and then there’ll be no need for registration,” he added.
On July 18, the government decided to lower the age limit to 30 years from 35 for Covid vaccination.
Over four percent of the country's population has so far been vaccinated since the government launched the mass vaccination programme on February 7 last by administering Covishield.
On April 25, the government had to suspend the first dose of the vaccine campaign due to a shortage of jabs. However, the vaccination drive resumed this month with the arrival of Sinopharm, Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.
Replying to a question, Prof Khurshid said the government has preparations to deal with the pressure of the growing number of Covid patients.
Read: India working to resume vaccine export to Bangladesh, reiterates Doraiswami
He said field hospitals can be set up in different districts to ensure the treatment of virus-infected people.
The DG said the outcome of the 14-day strict lockdown enforced by the government today (Friday) will be visible a few days later.
He, however, said the virus infections have comparatively decreased now in the frontier areas.
Prof Khurshid said they are taking steps for exporting oxygen from India as the country’s current oxygen demand is 200 tonnes per day.