Covid infections will continue to rise till mid-July: Experts

Covid-19 infections are on the rise in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and the Maldives. After four months, Bangladesh reported 2,101 cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours till 8 am Monday.

Health experts warn that in Bangladesh, Covid-19 infections will continue to rise for two more weeks. If the infection is not controlled now, there will be an increased risk of death.

Dr M Mushtuq Husain, advisor of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) told The Business Standard, "The virus infection is now increasing and will continue for two more weeks. However, Covid passivity rates may drop after mid-July."

The number of hospitalised patients has started increasing. Severe patients are on the rise as comorbid people are infected along with the increase in infection rate, he added. 

"Patients with fever are now at almost every home in the capital, but they are not going to get tested for Covid-19. So, the infection is on the rise," Dr Mushtuq said.

"If the test result is positive and you remain in quarantine, the infection will spread less. So, getting a Covid test is important," he added.

Mushtuq said those who are not infected so far have to remain careful to remain safe from Coronavirus. Mild symptomatic Covid causes less suffering but the post-Covid complication is much more.

"During the upcoming Eid, infections may rise outside Dhaka because of the increased movement of people who would have gone to their native villages," he added.

Bangladesh reported two deaths from Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) data.

The positivity rate was recorded at 15.20% in the preceding 24 hours as 13,820 samples were tested across the country. Twenty days ago, the daily positivity rate was below 1%.

Bangladesh has logged 29,142 deaths and 1,967,274 cases since the outbreak in 2020.

India sees a 45% jump in a day with 17,073 new Covid cases. On 1 June, the country reported 3,712 Covid cases in a day.

In the Maldives, 57 new infections are reported on average each day. That's 2% of the peak - the highest daily average reported on 31 January.

Pakistan's aviation regulator has made masks mandatory on domestic flights due to a gradual rise in Covid-19 cases across the country, reports Arab news.

Dr ASM Alamgir, principal scientific officer, IEDCR told TBS, "Infection is on the rise in our country as well as in neighbouring countries due to Omicron sub-variants. The death toll increases with the rise of infection."

"The situation will get worse if the infection is not controlled right now. None died a few weeks ago. Now, people are dying from Covid-19 every day. Those who are dying now tested Covid positive two weeks ago."

"As the infection is on the rise now, deaths will increase in the next two weeks. So, wearing a mask, avoiding gatherings and taking the second and booster doses of the vaccine is a must for preventing the spread of infection," Dr Alamgir added.