All Covid-19 indicators on the rise

All major coronavirus indicators – new cases, deaths and infection rate – are rising again as Monday saw the highest single day cases in the last three months.

The day also witnessed the highest deaths in the last two months. Monday also registered the highest infection rate in 81 days.

Experts said the country may face catastrophic consequences if the virus safety measures are not maintained strictly since all major Covid-19 indicators have been on the rise for the last couple of days.

The health directorate has already asked hospitals in Dhaka and divisional headquarters to ready their intensive care units (ICUs).

Meantime, people still show a lax approach to virus safety measures despite the government instructions.

Dr M Mushtuq Husain, consultant of the Covid-19 Pandemic Control at the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research, said it seems we are approaching the second wave.

"The infection in our country has been like slow burning all the time. But there is fear the infection curve may jump this time. It will be catastrophic if the government does not act promptly to control the infection," he added.

Dr Mushtuq said people should now be forced to wear masks and ensure social distance to tackle the infection rate. In addition, more people need to be vaccinated quickly to reduce the mortality. Bangladesh has not yet vaccinated 3% of the population.

Twenty-six people died from Covid-19 in the past 24 hours till Monday 8am as the infection rate stood at 9.48% – the highest in the last 81 days. In the last 24 hours, 1,773 people tested positive with the virus, raising the total caseload to 559,168 and death to 8,571.

The coronavirus infection rate in the country started to fall below 10% in December last year. The infection rate in February was less than 2%. But infections started to surge again from the beginning of this March.

The infection rate was 7.15% on Sunday and it rose to 9.48% Monday.

Health directorate spokesperson Professor Dr Nazmul Islam said hospitals have been readied to deal with the rise in virus cases.

Public awareness is a must to tackle the infection, he said, adding, the tendency of not wearing face masks and not following virus safety measures is dangerous.

"The health sector has readied hospitals, but we do not have the capacity to force people to wear masks or stop gathering," he commented.

The health directorate spokesperson urged the media to help raise awareness on virus safety measures.

As per the order of the health directorate, civil surgeons in some areas have started working with the local administration to tackle the infection surge.

Dr Sheikh Fazle Rabbi, civil surgeon of Chattogram, said six teams with the help of the local administration conducted drives at recreational spots in the port city Monday. The teams encouraged people to wear face masks.

Sheikh Fazle Rabbi said they have enhanced the capacity of the Covid dedicated hospitals, set up new ICUs and arranged high flow nasal cannulas. The civil surgeon said they have also talked to the private hospitals for Covid-19 treatment.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque also expressed concern over the rising rate of Covid-19 infections.

In a briefing on Monday, he said Covid-19 infection rate came down below 2% in the country, but it is rising now. People are going on vacation trips and attending various programmes without wearing masks as if Covid-19 is no more in the country. This could be the reason behind the rise of virus cases.

The health minister said that the ministry has recommended mobile courts to force people wearing masks. Besides, directives have been given to keep the coronavirus unit prepared at every hospital.

Zahid Maleque also said the education ministry will take the final decision on reopening the schools. However, if the pandemic situation worsens, the reopening decision will be reviewed.

Infection on the rise in other countries too

Neighbouring India recorded 26,291 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, its highest single-day spike in 85 days, taking the country's infection tally to 1,13,85,339, according to Union Health Ministry data.

The number of dead due to the disease increased to 1,58,725 with 118 more fatalities being recorded in a day, the data updated at 8 am showed.

There are concerns about a second wave of the pandemic in India with medical experts suggesting that new variants of the virus as well as poor adherence to safety norms could be behind the surge in cases.

Meanwhile, Pakistan recorded 2,253 new cases of the virus in the last 24 hours, with active cases rising by 917 to 22,038, according to government data released on Monday.

Pakistani authorities have sealed sections of the capital Islamabad, officials say, as the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic caused a spike in cases and hospital admissions across the country.

Italians are back under lockdown restrictions and millions have had their Easter plans cancelled again, as leaders fight to halt a third wave of Covid-19 infections that threatens to grip Europe one year after the pandemic began, reports CNN on Monday.

Dr Mushtuq said everything became almost normal not only in Bangladesh, but also in other countries as economic activities resumed. But infections are on the rise due to lax approach to virus safety and new variants of the virus.