Dhaka: The COVID-19 situation is gradually going from bad to worse in Bangladesh with the death toll and number of new patients rising every day.

The authorities yesterday reported 46 deaths and 3,471 new cases, the highest in a single day.

These take the officially recorded death toll to 1,095 and the number of positive cases to 81,523, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said in its daily briefing.

Prof Nasima Sultana, additional director general (administration) at DGHS, said she got the results of 15,990 tests done in the 24 hours until 2:30pm yesterday. Data shows one out of each 4.6 tests have returned positive.

According to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), about 71 percent of infected persons are male.

Younger people have a higher prevalence of infection as 54.7 percent of the infected are aged between 21 and 40 years. Eighteen percent are over 50, although the mortality rate is higher among senior citizens.

IEDCR shows that 68.6 percent of people who died from the coronavirus were over 50.

Addressing the online briefing yesterday, Nasima said among the 46 deceased, 37 were male.

Of them, one was aged between 21 and 30, six were between 31 and 40, three between 41 and 50, 12 between 51 and 60, 15 between 61 and 70, seven between 71 and 80, one between 81 and 90 and another over 100, Nasima said.

Nineteen of them were from Dhaka, 11 from Chattogram, three from Sylhet, two from Rajshahi, three from Barishal, five from Rangpur, one from Khulna and the remaining two from Mymensingh division, she added.

Of the total infected, 85.45 percent were from Dhaka and Chattogram divisions, according to the IEDCR.

The number of COVID-19 cases is higher in Mirpur, Jatrabari, Dhanmondi, Kakrail, Mugda, Mohakhali, Mohammadpur and Uttara areas in the capital.

The tests were done in 59 labs across the country.

Meanwhile, 502 COVID-19 patients have recovered in those 24 hours, said Nasima.

A total of 17,249 people recovered from the disease, she added.

WE'RE BECOMING BRAZIL

"We're heading towards Brazil's situation but we're not seeing any seriousness [in combating the coronavirus] from the government," said Professor Be-Nazir Ahmed, former director (disease control) at the health and family welfare ministry.

After the USA, Brazil has suddenly seen a steep rise in deaths and infections. It has over eight lakh COVID-19 cases and 41,000 deaths.

Be-Nazir asked the government to go for aggressive measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The public health expert suggested that teams led by health experts be formed to curb the spread.

"The health expert would spot areas where new infections are being found and immediately put the area under complete lockdown. They will strictly enforce isolation and quarantine upon the people of the infected areas," he said.

Through this, the number of infections will gradually decrease, he said adding these teams will also look after the critical COVID-19 patients at the hospitals to reduce hassle.

Be-Nazir said, "We need a holistic approach. Any half-hearted attempt will not bear any fruit."

https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/news/situation-getting-worse-deaths-infections-surge-1913477