RANGPUR, Jan 17, 2021 (BSS) – Rangpur division recorded the lowest daily coronavirus (COVID-19) infection rate of 2.92 percent with the minimum number of only four positive cases diagnosed on Saturday since the outbreak of the pandemic.
Focal Person of COVID-19 and Assistant Director (Health) for Rangpur division Dr. ZA Siddiqui said the four new cases were reported after diagnosing 137 samples with the daily infection rate of 2.92 percent in the division on Saturday.
Following mass public awareness and use of masks by more people, the daily coronavirus infection rate remained below 10 percent during the last four consecutive weeks in Rangpur division bringing a sigh of relief to common people.
Earlier, the daily COVID-19 infection rates were 9.57 percent on Friday, 8.23 percent on Thursday, 6.88 percent on Wednesday, 6.65 percent on Tuesday, 3.49 percent on Monday, 7.79 percent on Sunday and 5.20 percent on Saturday last in the division.
Meanwhile, the total number of coronavirus cases rose to 15,619 in the division with four more infections reported on Saturday.
“The district-wise break- up of the total 15,619 patients stands at 3,981 in Rangpur, 782 in Panchagarh, 1,320 in Nilphamari, 960 in Lalmonirhat, 1,009 in Kurigram, 1,500 in Thakurgaon, 4,619 in Dinajpur and 1,448 in Gaibandha districts,” Dr. Siddiqui said.
Since the beginning of the outbreak of the pandemic, a total of 99,436 collected samples were tested in the division till Saturday, and of them, 15,619 were found COVID-19 positive with an average infection rate of over 15.71 percent.
Meanwhile, the number of recovered COVID-19 patients rose to 14,719 with the recovery of five more infected people in the division on Saturday at the average recovery rate of about 94.24 percent.
“The average COVID-19 infection rate is currently about six times less that the recovery rate in the division,” Dr. Siddiqui said.
The 14,719 recovered patients include 3,547 of Rangpur, 746 of Panchagarh, 1,287 of Nilphamari, 941 of Lalmonirhat, 953 of Kurigram, 1,405 of Thakurgaon, 4,426 of Dinajpur and 1,414 of Gaibandha districts.
Talking to BSS, Divisional Director (Health) Dr. Md. Ahad Ali said the number of fatalities rose to 302 in the division with one more death reported from Rangpur on Saturday.
The district-wise break up of the 301 fatalities stands at 71 in Rangpur, 108 in Dinajpur, 33 in Thakurgaon, 27 in Nilphamari, 15 in Kurigram, 20 in Panchagarh, 17 in Gaibandha and 11 in Lalmonirhat districts of the division, he said.
The average casualty rate currently stands at 1.93 percent in the division.
“Among the total 15,619 COVID-19 patients, 33 are undergoing treatment at isolation units after recovery of 14,719 patients and 302 deaths while 565 remaining in home isolations across the division,” Dr. Ali added.
Chief of the Divisional Coronavirus Service and Prevention Task Force and Principal of Rangpur Medical College Professor Dr. AKM Nurunnabi Lyzu said the COVID-19 infection rate declines as the number of mask-wearing people is rising in the division.