New Covid-19 cases, tests decline
Sunday is the second day in a row with new confirmed cases below the 2,000-mark
Bangladesh reported 69 deaths from Covid-19 and 1,359 new cases of the virus in the last 24 hours till Sunday 8 am. The latest figures mark a decline in the number of new infections, accompanied by a decline in tests and positivity rate.
Sunday is the second day in a row with new confirmed cases below the 2,000-mark. Previously, 1,452 cases were reported on Saturday.
However, Health Minister Zahid Maleque warned that a third wave of the deadly virus may hit the country if negligence to follow health guidelines continues to happen.
According to data released by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the total case count in the country stands at 7,61,943, with a positivity rate of 9.60%. On the previous day, the positivity rate was 9.61%.
Also, the death rate from the virus now stands at 1.52%, with 11,579 confirmed deaths in the country.
Meanwhile, the number of samples tested during the 24-hour period was lower than that of the last few days. The country tested 14,158 samples in its 420 labs on Sunday, which was 15,117 on Saturday and 21,046 on Friday.
Among the latest day's victims, 44 were men, and 25 were women. Of them, 67 died in different hospitals across the country while two died at home.
Also, 2,657 patients were declared free of Covid-19 during the last 24 hours, with a 90.21% recovery rate.
Negligence to follow health rules can lead to a third wave
There is no scope of being satisfied over the plunging Covid-19 infection rate in the country, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque.
"Even a big country like India is experiencing a catastrophic second wave of Covid-19," the minister said while addressing a function organised on the occasion of 50 years of health department and health system in Bangladesh on Sunday.
The minister warned that [a new variant] of the virus can come to Bangladesh from the neighbouring country.
He called on health workers to continue providing services with caution.
Maleque blamed 'widespread reluctance and negligence' to follow health guidelines, for the second wave of Covid-19 in the country.
He said "Currently, the severity of the second wave [of Covid-19] is decreasing slightly. However, if negligence to follow health guidelines happens again, a third wave can come to the country very soon."
The country's maiden covid-19 cases were reported on 8 March last year and the first death from the virus was reported on 18 March.