RANGPUR, July 5, 2020 (BSS) – The number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases piercingly climbed to 3,354 in Rangpur division as maximum 218 new patients were reported in a day on Saturday from three COVID-19 Laboratories at Rangpur, Dinajpur and Dhaka.
Health officials said the 218 new patients were reported after diagnosing a total of 772 collected samples of suspected coronavirus patents from all eight districts of Rangpur division.
“With the report of 218 new patients, the total number of COVID-19 cases jumped to 3,354 in Rangpur division till 8 am today,” Focal Person of COVID-19 and Assistant Director (Health) for Rangpur division Dr. ZA Siddiqui told BSS today.
Among the 318 new patients, 68 were reported after testing samples at two COVID-19 Laboratories at Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RpMC) in Rangpur and M Abdur Rahman Medical College (MARMC) in Dinajpur.
Besides, more 253 new COVID-19 patients were reported after testing samples of Rangpur division at COVID-19 Laboratory at the National Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Referral Centre (NILMRC) in Dhaka on Saturday.
Currently, the district-wise break up of 3,354 patients stands at 1,061 in Rangpur, 151 in Panchagarh, 407 in Nilphamari, 156 in Lalmonirhat, 211 in Kurigram, 225 in Thakurgaon, 739 in Dinajpur and 404 in Gaibandha districts of the division. “Meanwhile, the number of recovered patients rose to 1,994 with the healing of 94 more people on Saturday at the recovery rate of 59.45 percent in the division,” Dr. Siddique said.
The 1,994 recovered COVID-19 patients include 712 of Rangpur, 121 of Panchagarh, 293 of Nilphamari, 66 of Lalmonirhat, 116 of Kurigram, 151 of Thakurgaon, 384 of Dinajpur and 151 of Gaibandha districts.
Talking to BSS, Divisional Director (Health) Dr. Amin Ahmed Khan said 647 people were put in quarantine at home or institutions and 437 others released in the division during the last 24 hours till 8 am today.
A total of 50,526 people of the division were put in quarantines, and of them, 44,591 released and 5,935 are currently remaining in home or institutional quarantines since the beginning.
“A total of 29,868 collected samples of Rangpur division were tested till Saturday, and of them, 3,354 were found COVID-19 positive with an infection rate of around 11.23 percent,” Dr. Khan said.
The highest number of seven deaths was reported in a day on Saturday since the beginning raising the total number of fatalities to 60 with the casualty rate of around 1.79 percent in the division.
“Of them, 18 coronavirus patients died in Rangpur, three in Panchagarh, seven in Nilphamari, two in Lalmonirhat, four in Kurigram, two in Thakurgaon, 15 in Dinajpur and nine in Gaibandha districts of the division,” Dr. Khan said.
Among the total 3,136 COVID-19 patients, 119 are undergoing treatments at isolation units of different hospitals after release of 1,994 recovered patients and 60 deaths while 1,181 remaining in home isolations in the division. Talking to BSS, Divisional Commissioner KM Tariqul Islam said authorities concerned are working in a well-coordinated manner putting maximum emphasis on preventing COVID-19 infection and providing proper health services to infected patients.
“We have engaged all-out efforts to inspire the common people in maintaining physical distance, wearing masks and abiding by health directives of the government to prevent community transmission of COVID-19 in the division,” Islam added.