Covid Pandemic: 26 more die, 1,504 test positive

Officials yesterday reported 1,504 new cases of coronavirus and 26 deaths from the disease.

This takes the number of confirmed infections to 7,86,698 and deaths to 12,310, reads a release from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Meanwhile, a 17-year-old boy named Sakib Uddin, who recently returned from India, died yesterday in Chuadanga from Covid-19.

Besides, a six-month-old baby and a 11-year old child tested positive after spending 14 days in quarantine since returning from India.

He was a cancer patient taking treatment in India, said ASM Fateh Akram, resident medical officer of Chuadanga Sadar Hospital.

Sakib returned to Bangladesh through Benapole on May 9, he added.

Sakib's brother Akib said he was admitted to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital on May 10. He tested positive on May 12 and died around 11:00am yesterday.

Chuadanga Civil Surgeon ASM Maruf Hasan told our Kustia Correspondent that it will be tested whether the deceased was infected by the Indian variant of coronavirus.

The infant and the 11-year-old, who has blood cancer, tested positive at Jashore General Hospital.

Doctors in Jashore said this was the first time a child returning from India tested positive for Covid-19.

YESTERDAY'S BRIEFING

A total of 18,294 samples were tested across the country in 24 hours preceding 8:00am yesterday. The current positivity rate is 8.22 percent while the total positivity rate stands at 13.58 percent.

At least 1,529 patients recovered in this period.

The total number of recoveries stood at 7,29,039 and the recovery rate at 92.67 percent as of yesterday.

Among the 26 deceased, 19 were men and seven women. One was aged between 21 and 30 years, one between 31 and 40, two between 41 and 50, eight between 51 and 60, the rest were over 60 years.