Covid Infection in Dhaka: Delta variant in 68pc cases

An icddr,b study found 68 percent of the coronavirus cases in Dhaka city are of the highly transmissible Delta variant.

Between May 25 and June 7, the scientists at icddr,b analysed the genome sequence of 60 samples taken from Covid-19 patients in the capital.

Of those, 41 or more had the Delta variant, popularly known as the Indian variant of the coronavirus, icddr,b officials confirmed.

They also found 22 cases of the South African, two cases of the Nigerian and three UK variants.

The B.1.617.2 strain, known as the Delta variant, is worrying health officials across the world as it caused a major health crisis in India.

In an earlier study by the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, 40 of the 50 samples examined turned out to be of the Delta variant.

Of the 40 cases, only two were in Dhaka and the rest in Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Bagerhat, Jhenidah, Pirojpur, Chapainawabganj, Gopalganj, and Khulna.

The latest findings indicate the Delta variant has started dominating transmissions in Dhaka city.

Experts fear that this has the potential to turn Dhaka's situation as bad as that of Khulna and Rajshahi.

On May 8, health officials in Bangladesh detected the first case of the Delta variant.

In the 24 hours preceding 8:00am yesterday, 63 people died with Covid-19, up from 60 the day before.

Of those who were reported dead yesterday, eight died at home, according to a press release from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). 

Of those who were reported dead with Covid-19-like symptoms yesterday, at least five were in Jhenidah, 34 in Satkhira, 38 in Khulna and 20 in Chapainawabganj districts.

Many hospitals in Khulna and Rajshahi divisions have been at capacity amid the rising number of Covid-19 patients.

Experts say the number of daily tests was too low to represent the true picture.

"Most of the infected people remain undetected. There must be many unreported deaths in places where the transmission is higher," infectious diseases specialist Prof Ridwanur Rahman told The Daily Star.

Of those reported dead yesterday, the highest 20 were in Khulna division, followed by 13 in Rajshahi, 11 in Chattogram, 10 in Dhaka, three in Barishal and two each in Rangpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet.

At least 3,840 people tested positive for Covid-19 while the positivity rate declined to 15.44 percent from 16.62 the previous day.

Officials in Gopalganj imposed restrictions on movements and outdoor activities in areas under the municipalities of Gopalganj and Moksudpur, and the unions of Latifpur and Kashiani to curb the spread of the virus.

Eleven other districts have enforced the restrictions before. But transmission in most of those areas continues to rise, according to DGHS data.