RANGPUR, June 18, 2021 (BSS) – The number of coronavirus (Covid-19) cases has hastily crossed the 21,500-mark with diagnosis of 381 new patients in Rangpur division where the infection rate continues rising quickly in recent weeks.
Health officials said the number of Covid-19 cases quickly climbed to 21,518 as 381 more patients were reported after testing 1,134 samples of the division at the infection rate of 33.60 percent on Thursday.
Earlier, the infection rates were 31.68 percent on Wednesday, 30.18 percent on Tuesday, 30.77 percent on Monday, 29.02 percent on Sunday, 27.50 percent on Saturday and 23.98 percent on Friday last in the division.
“The infection rate crossed the 10 percent mark on March 24 last for the first time since December 26 last and continued rising again since April last,” Focal Person of Covid-19 and Assistant Director (Health) for Rangpur division Dr ZA Siddiqui told BSS today.
“The district-wise break up of total 21,518 patients stands at 5,358 in Rangpur, 880 in Panchagarh, 1,665 in Nilphamari, 1,268 in Lalmonirhat, 1,412 in Kurigram, 2,266 in Thakurgaon, 6,811 in Dinajpur and 1,858 in Gaibandha of the division,” he said.
Since the beginning, a total of 1,42,621 collected samples were tested till Thursday, and of them, 21,518 were found Covid-19 positive with an average infection rate of 15.09 percent.
Meanwhile, the total number of healed Covid-19 patients reached 18,655 with recovery of 74 more infected patients on Thursday in the division where the average recovery rate currently stands at 86.69 percent.
“The average recovery rate of Covid-19 infected patients was 97.55 percent more than three months ago on March 9 last in the division where the same sharply dropped by 10.86 percent to 86.69 percent during the period,” Dr Siddiqui said.
The 18,655 recovered patients include 4,865 of Rangpur, 822 of Panchagarh, 1,553 of Nilphamari, 1,081 of Lalmonirhat, 1,176 of Kurigram, 1,642 of Thakurgaon, 5,761 of Dinajpur and 1,755 of Gaibandha districts in the division.
Acting Divisional Director (Health) Dr Abu Md Zakirul Islam said the Covid-19 infection related death toll remained steady at 444 as no more patients died on Thursday in Rangpur division.
The district-wise break up of the 442 fatalities stands at 103 in Rangpur, 161 in Dinajpur, 55 in Thakurgaon, 38 in Nilphamari, 25 in Kurigram, 20 in Panchagarh, 23 in Gaibandha and 19 in Lalmonirhat districts of the division.
“The average casualty rate currently stands at 2.06 percent,” Dr Islam said.
Among the 21,518 patients, 150 are remaining at isolation units 21 critical patients at ICU beds and seven at High Dependency Unit beds, after recovery of 18,655 patients and 444 deaths while 2,353 are remaining in home isolation.
“Meanwhile, the number of citizens who got the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine remained steady at 5,96,943 since April 26 last, and among them, 3,88,007 got the second dose of the jab till Thursday in the division,” Dr Islam added.
Chief of Divisional Coronavirus Service and Prevention Task Force and Principal of Rangpur Medical College Professor Dr. AKM Nurunnobi Lyzu expressed concern over the increasing Covid-19 infection rate in the division in recent weeks.