Over 15 lakh recover from Covid in country
For the third consecutive day, the country reported a positivity rate below 5% on Thursday
New patient identification, mortality rate and positivity rate – all indicators of Covid-19 infection in Bangladesh have improved.
On the other hand, the recovery rate is increasing compared to the number of new patients identified.
So far, more than 15 lakh people have recovered from Covid-19 in the country and out of the total identified patients, there are currently 13,194 active cases in the country, excluding those who recovered and died, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Bangladesh reported 24 more deaths from Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, lowest since 15 May when 22 deaths were reported.
The country also reported a positivity rate below 5% for the third consecutive day – 4.61% after testing 24,820 samples across the country.
According to health experts, the Covid-19 situation is considered under control if the positivity rate remains below 5% for two weeks in a row.
The number of daily cases also declined during the past 24 hours with 1,144 more people testing positive for the virus. Also, 1,653 patients were declared free of Covid-19 during the last 24 hours, with a 97.38% recovery rate.
With the latest figures, the death toll reached 27,337 and the case tally increased to 15,48,320 in the country.
More than one crore people will be vaccinated in a few days: Health Minister
Health Minister Zahid Malek said, "Beside the regular vaccination activities, we are going to launch a large-scale vaccination campaign in the next five to six days, with an aim to vaccinate more than one crore people in a few days."
He said this at a function organised by the National Nutrition Council at a hotel in the capital on Thursday afternoon.
"We have adequate stock of vaccines. We have received a commitment from the World Health Organisation to receive another 71 lakh Pfizer vaccines. We have received 10 lakh, out of the 60 lakh, previously promised Pfizer vaccines.
50 lakh Sinopharm vaccine doses arrive
Bangladesh has received another consignment of 50 lakh Sinopharm vaccine doses from China.
An aircraft of Bangladesh Biman, carrying the jabs, landed at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 2am on Thursday.
Chief Health Coordinator Dr Abu Zaher received the consignment at the airport, said a press release from the health ministry.
Bangladesh has so far procured nearly 3 crore doses of the Sinopharm vaccine, and those are arriving in the country in phases every month.
The government will procure an additional 6 crore doses of Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccines from China under the Direct Procurement Method (DPM) – as per the price mentioned in the agreement – to bolster the government's efforts to vaccinate the citizens.