Bangladesh records 4-month low in coronavirus deaths

Bangladesh on Wednesday recorded the lowest coronavirus deaths over the last four months, according to latest official data.

A total of 16 COVID-19 patients across the country have succumbed to the disease in the last 24 hours, surging the death toll to 5,593, said the regular health bulletin of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Bangladesh recorded 15 deaths of coronavirus on May 28. The virus was first reported on March 8 in the country which registered the first death on March 17.

Meanwhile, 1,684 additional cases in the past 24 hours raised the infection tally to 382,959 while 1,576 more coronavirus patients recovered, pushing the recovery toll to 297,449, the report added.

“We will be satisfied when the death toll from the virus can be brought to zero level. Until achieving that goal, we will continue our struggle,” Dr. A. S. M. Alamgir, the principal scientific officer of government, told Anadolu Agency.

Addressing the countrywide health measures taken by the government, he said: “We are doing our best to ensure proper health care in hospitals.”

“Moreover, progress in building health awareness, using face masks and following social distancing rules among mass people have made a positive impact in curbing the spread of the virus,” Alamgir added.

Also speaking to Anadolu Agency, Habibur Rahman Khan, a health expert and former additional health secretary said: “It’s too early to be happy with the progress in curbing the pandemic death casualties as the situation may escalate in the upcoming winter season.”

He, however, added that winter in Bangladesh is different than that of in the European or western countries. “So I hope that proper preparations from now on may be helpful to stem the virus in the cold season.”

A new study published on Monday said that nearly half of the residents of Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka were exposed to coronavirus and developed antibodies. It showed that an estimated 10 million people in the city of over 20 million -- 1 in every 10 -- might have been infected by July.

Meanwhile, Bangladeshi authorities in a circular issued on Wednesday permitted all concerned to screen films in the cinema halls from Friday on condition that half of the seats will be kept vacant as a COVID-19 measure.