Bangladesh: Daily virus deaths hit monthly low

Bangladesh recorded the month's lowest daily new deaths from COVID-19 on Friday with 28 casualties, bringing the total tally to 3,111, according to the Health Ministry.

"Since July 1 this is the lowest death record, and we hope that people will follow the social distancing guidelines during the holy Eid al-Adha so that the pandemic situation does not escalate further," Dr. Ayesha Akhter, a top government health official, told Anadolu Agency.

The overcrowded South Asian country of 165 million people on June 30 saw its highest single-day new death total of 64.

Since then deaths have totaled around 50 per day.

However, after the seasonal monsoon rains and upstream onrush of water caused heavy floods and marooned nearly one-third of the country starting earlier this month, the number of COVID-19 tests fell.

Meanwhile, 2,772 new cases were recorded in the past 24 hours, bringing the infection tally to date to 237,661.

The country will also celebrate the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday on Saturday amid fears that thousands of people who left urban areas for village homes may violate social distancing and fuel the virus’ spread.