COVID-19 infection rate crosses 15pc mark in Rangpur

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RANGPUR, May 20, 2021 (BSS) – The daily coronavirus (COVID-19) infection rate continues rising again and crossed the 15 percent mark in Rangpur division during the past four consecutive days.

Health officials said the number of COVID-19 cases rose to 18,470 as 59 more patients were reported positive after testing 362 samples on Wednesday.

“Earlier, daily infection rates were 15.79 percent on Tuesday, 17.95 percent on Monday and 19.66 percent on Sunday in the division,” Focal Person of COVID-19 and Assistant Director (Health) for Rangpur division Dr ZA Siddiqui told BSS today.

The daily infection rate crossed the 10 percent mark on March 24 last for the first time since December 26 last year in the division after remaining below the five percent mark for over a month previously and again crossed the 10 percent mark on May 8 last.

The district-wise break up of 18,470 patients currently stands at 4,838 in Rangpur, 833 in Panchagarh, 1,559 in Nilphamari, 1,054 in Lalmonirhat, 1,190 in Kurigram, 1,653 in Thakurgaon, 5,609 in Dinajpur and 1,734 in Gaibandha of the division.

Since the beginning, a total of 1,29,582 collected samples were tested till Wednesday, and of them, 18,470 were found COVID-19 positive with an average infection rate of 14.25 percent.

Meanwhile, the total number of healed COVID-19 patients rose to 17,479 with recovery of 30 more infected patients on Wednesday in the division where the average recovery rate stands at 94.63 percent.

“The 17,479 recovered patients include 4,520 of Rangpur, 809 of Panchagarh, 1,503 of Nilphamari, 1,027 of Lalmonirhat, 1,031 of Kurigram, 1,553 of Thakurgaon, 5,343 of Dinajpur and 1,693 of Gaibandha districts in the division,” Dr Siddiqui added.

Talking to BSS today, Divisional Director (Health) Dr Md Ahad Ali said one more infected patient died in Kurigram on Wednesday raising the COVID-19 related death toll to 371 in Rangpur division.

The district-wise break up of the 371 fatalities stands at 86 in Rangpur, 137 in Dinajpur, 38 in Thakurgaon, 35 in Nilphamari, 21 in Kurigram, 20 in Panchagarh, 21 in Gaibandha and 13 in Lalmonirhat districts.

“The average casualty rate currently stands at 2.01 percent,” he said.
Among the 18,470 infected patients, 57 are undergoing treatments at isolation units, including 14 critical patients at ICU beds and 11 at High Dependency Unit beds, after recovery of 17,479 patients and 371 deaths while 590 remaining in home isolation.

“Meanwhile, the number of citizens who got the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine remained steady at 5,96,952 since April 26 last, and among them, 3,51,662 got the second dose of the jab till Wednesday in the division,” Dr Ali added.

Chief of Divisional Coronavirus Service and Prevention Task Force and Principal of Rangpur Medical College Professor Dr. AKM Nurunnobi Lyzu urged people to abide by the health directives to control the rising COVID-19 infection rate in the division.