Covid cases may increase after Eid: Experts

Health experts are concerned over the risk that the new Omicron variant might spread throughout the country as people are travelling to village homes to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha – which may trigger the infection rate after Eid.

At present, the transmission is higher in Dhaka and Chattogram compared to other districts, but people's movement during Eid vacation may trigger the infection rate spreading the virus all over the country, they say.

Health experts have urged people to follow health rules during their journey and other occasions. 

Bangladesh has reported Covid-19 positivity rates over 16% for the fourth consecutive day with a 16.54% rate recorded in the past 24 hours till 8am Thursday.

The country reported three deaths from Covid-19 and 1,790 new cases in the last 24 hours after testing 10,822 samples.

Professor Nazrul Islam, noted virologist and member of the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 told TBS that the positivity rate is over 16% for the last couple of days. The holidaymakers who are going to village homes should wear masks and follow health guidelines.

"If everyone follows the health rules during Eid vacation, the infection rate may start falling from the last week of this month," he said. 

Dr M Mushtuq Husain, advisor, Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) told The Business Standard that the Covid situation is still stable in the country which may rise after Eid. Many people are leaving Dhaka with the risk of spreading the new Omicron variant B15 throughout the country.

Of the new cases, 1,122 are in Dhaka city while 1,303 in Dhaka division. In Chattogram city, the number of new cases is 53 and in the division 214.

The positive rate in Dhaka city was 16.81% and in the division 16.71% during the same time. In Chattogram city, the positivity rate was 16.82% while in the division it was 17.21%. 

So far 29,188 people have died and 19,86,490 tested positive for the virus in Bangladesh since 2020.