Indian Covid Strain: Two more cases identified in Jashore

Two more confirmed cases of Indian Coronavirus strain have been detected at the Genome Centre of Jashore University of Science and Technology.

A media release signed by Md Abdur Rashid, the Public Relations officer of the university, confirmed the recent development.

According to the press release, three among 16 Indian returnees tested positive for Covid-19 recently after entering Bangladesh. 

Their samples were collected from Jashore General Hospital and sent to the university lab on May 6.

A research team, led by the Assistant Director of the Genome Centre Dr Md Iqbal Kabir identified the Indian Covid variant in two of the collected samples through sequencing.

Earlier in the day, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) confirmed the first case of Indian Coronavirus strain in Bangladesh.

The Indian strain of Coronavirus was detected in a sample test at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka and it has been published on Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID), said chief scientific officer of IEDCR ASM Alamgir.

India's crematoriums and burial grounds are being overwhelmed by the devastating new surge of infections tearing through the populous country with terrifying speed, depleting the supply of life-saving oxygen to critical levels and leaving patients to die while waiting in line to see doctors, reports AP from New Delhi.

India recorded over 4 lakh new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours ending 8 am Saturday, taking the country's total caseload to over 2.18 crore. Out of these, over 37 lakh cases are currently active while over 1.79 crore people have recovered.

With 4,187 new deaths, the toll now stands at over 2.38 lakh. At least 14 states are reporting cases in five figures. Maharashtra reported about 54,000 cases, Karnataka had nearly 49,000, while Kerala had over 38,000.