Global Covid death toll nears 2.5 million

Covid continues to devastate countries across the world, as the global death toll from the deadly virus fast nears the grim milestone of 2.5 million.

The total global Covid caseload is also approaching 112 million, according to US-based Johns Hopkins University.

To be specific, the death toll from the virus reached 2,473,652 while the total caseload mounted to 111,705,909 on Tuesday morning, according to the university data.

In the US alone, the Covid death toll topped 500,000 on Monday. The country has so far registered 28,188,308 cases.

The US toll is by far the highest reported in the world, accounting for 20 percent of the nearly 2.5 million corona deaths globally, though the true numbers are thought to be significantly greater, in part because many cases were overlooked, especially early during the outbreak, reports AP.

The first known deaths from the virus in the US were in early February 2020. It took four months to reach the first 100,000 deaths. The toll hit 200,000 in September and 300,000 in December, then took just over a month to jump from 300,000 to 400,000 and another month to climb to 500,000.

Brazil has so far registered 247,143 Covid deaths and 10,195,160 cases, according to the university data.

Brazil has the second highest number of deaths, after the United States, and the third highest number of cases, behind the United States and India.

Besides, India has so far registered 11,005,850 cases and 156,385 fatalities, according to the country's Health Ministry.

Situation in Bangladesh

Covid-19 claimed seven more lives and infected 366 more people in Bangladesh in the past 24 hours till Monday morning, showing a slight rise in the infection rate than that of Sunday.

With the latest figures, the death toll from Covid-19 in the country rose to 8,356 and the caseload to 543,717, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

In a handout, DGHS said the daily coronavirus infection rate in Bangladesh increased to 3.30 percent from Sunday's 2.33 percent, while the overall infection rate stood at 13.73 percent, marginally lower than Sunday's 13.76.

However, the mortality rate remained almost steady at 1.54 percent for the past few days, said the handout, adding that 492,059 patients (90.50 pc) have recovered from the virus infection so far.

As of now, 3,958,776 samples have been tested, including 11,103 in the past 24 hours.

Bangladesh reported its first coronavirus cases on March 8 and the first death on March 18 last year.

Vaccination in Bangladesh

The government kicked off the countrywide Covid-19 vaccination drive on February 7.

Bangladesh inked an agreement with the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine maker, for 30 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. Serum will send five million doses each month between January and June.

Five million doses arrived in January and India gifted another two million doses.

Determined to make the vaccination drive a success, the government has brought down the age of eligible recipients of the jab to 40. The doses are being provided for free.

So far, 2,082,877 people have received the first shot. After the first dose, the second one has to be taken within 8 to 12 weeks.