RANGPUR, Oct 28, 2021 (BSS) - The number of Covid-19 cases has crossed the 55,300 mark in Rangpur division where the overall pandemic situation continues improving during the last more than two months.

  "The number of Covid-19 cases reached 55,310 with diagnosis of 10 new patients after testing 383 samples at the positivity rate of 2.61 percent on Wednesday," Rangpur Divisional Deputy Director (Health) Dr Abu Md Zakirul Islam told BSS.

  The district-wise break up of total 55,310 patients include 12,463 of Rangpur, 3,806 Panchagarh, 4,442 of Nilphamari, 2,739 of Lalmonirhat, 4,638 of Kurigram, 7,619 of Thakurgaon, 14,744 of Dinajpur and 4,859 of Gaibandha in the division.

  "Meanwhile, no Covid-19 infected patient died during the last 24 hours ending at 8 am today for the fifth consecutive days in the division where the total number of casualties remained steady at 1,240," he said

  The average casualty rate currently stands at 2.24 percent in the division.

  The district-wise break up of the 1,240 fatalities stands at 293 in Rangpur, 80 in Panchagarh, 89 in Nilphamari, 68 in Lalmonirhat, 69 in Kurigram, 252 in Thakurgaon, 326 in Dinajpur and 63 in Gaibandha of the division.

  "Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, a total of 2,92,273 collected samples were tested till Wednesday, and of them, 55,310 were found Covid-19 positive with an average positivity rate of 18.92 percent in the division," Dr Zakirul said.

  Divisional Director (Health) Dr Md Motaharul Islam told BSS that the number of healed Covid-19 patients reached 52,990 with recovery of six more patients on Wednesday raising the average recovery rate to 95.81 percent in the division.

  The 52,990 recovered patients include 11,378 of Rangpur, 3,677 Panchagarh, 4,347 Nilphamari, 2,625 Lalmonirhat, 4,527 Kurigram, 7,295 Thakurgaon, 14,355 in Dinajpur and 4,786 Gaibandha districts in the division.

  Among the 55,310 patients, 56 are undergoing treatments at isolation units, including 10 critical patients at ICU beds and eight at High Dependency Unit beds, after recovery of 52,990 patients and 1,240 deaths while 1,024 are remaining in home isolation.

  "Meanwhile, the number of citizens who got the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine rose to 46,45,501, and among them, 21,42,695 got the second dose of the jab till Wednesday in the division," Dr Islam added.

  Talking to BSS today, Chief of Divisional Coronavirus Service and Prevention Task Force and Principal of Rangpur Medical College Professor Dr. AKM Nurunnobi Lyzu said the Covid-19 situation is improving during the past couple of months.

  "However, everyone should remain careful and properly abide by the health directives and hygiene rules to contain further spread of the deadly virus in the division," he said.