Bangladesh’s Covid-19 death rate on the rise

The novel coronavirus death toll in Bangladesh surged to 5,440 on Wednesday after the health authorities confirmed the deaths of 35 more patients. 

Fatalities from the virus are gradually rising in the country.

The Covid-19 death rate stayed at 1.44% during September 27 to October 01, the rate then rose to 1.45% from October 2-7. Now it stands at 1.46%, according to a press release issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). 

Prof Dr Nazrul Islam, former vice-chancellor of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and noted virologist, told The Business Standard that the mortality rate is on the rise because patients go to hospital in critical condition. 

"Young people are not following health rules and, for this, older people have to pay the price. Young people have high immunity. If they are infected, they recover fast. But the elderly people in a family are infected and die from the infection."

"Also, there are still errors in hospital management. Many hospitals still do not have high-flow nasal calculus," he added. 

Prof Dr Nazrul Islam said there is no alternative to following health rules and wearing masks to bring down the mortality rate. 

"If vaccines are discovered, people will still have to wear masks. Because in the early stage, vaccines can provide only 50% protection."

In the last 24 hours until early Wednesday, 1,520 people tested Covid-19 positive and the number of novel coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 3,73,151.

The latest daily infection rate was 11.66% while the overall rate stood at 18.41%.  

However, the total number of recovered patients reached 2,86,631 including 1,798 new ones in the last 24 hours, and the recovery rate rose to 76.81%. 

Also, 13,088 samples were tested in the past 24 hours in 109 labs across the country. So far, 20,26,808 samples have been tested.

Of the deceased, 25 were men and 10 were women. Nineteen of them were from Dhaka division, six from Chattogram, three from Khulna, two from Rajshahi and Barisal each and one from Mymensingh, Rangpur and Sylhet each.

The country is passing its 37th week of Covid-19 infection after the first cases were confirmed on March 8 and the first death on March 18.