RANGPUR, Jan 27, 2022 (BSS) - One more Covid-19 patient died in Rangpur division where the highest ever 45 percent positivity rate was recorded on Wednesday since the outbreak of the pandemic.

  Health officials said the Covid-19 pandemic situation continues to deteriorate as the number of positive cases and positivity rate are hastily rising amid declining recovery rate of patients in recent weeks.

  "With one more fatality reported from Rangpur on Wednesday, the number of casualties reached 1,254 in the division," Divisional Director (Health) Dr. Abu Md. Zakirul Islam Lenin told BSS today.

  The district-wise breakup of the 1,254 fatalities currently stands at 294 in Rangpur, 81 in Panchagarh, 89 in Nilphamari, 69 each in Lalmonirhat and Kurigram, 256 in Thakurgaon, 333 in Dinajpur and 63 in Gaibandha of the division.

  The average casualty rate stands at 2.17 percent in the division.

  Meanwhile, 378 fresh Covid-19 cases, the highest number in a day in six months, were diagnosed on Wednesday after testing 840 samples at 45 percent positivity rate in the division.

  "The total number of Covid-19 patients has climbed to 57,913 in Rangpur division where a faster community spread of the lethal virus continues now," Dr. Islam said.

  On Wednesday, Rangpur recorded 43.50 percent Covid-19 positivity, Panchagarh 44.90 percent, Nilphamari 29 percent, Lalmonirhat 44.20 percent, Kurigram 35.50 percent, Thakurgaon 55.80 percent, Dinajpur 45.10 percent and Gaibandha 64.40 percent.

  Currently, the district-wise break up of total 57,913 patients include 13,108 of Rangpur, 3,951 Panchagarh, 4,688 of Nilphamari, 2,871 of Lalmonirhat, 4,711 of Kurigram, 7,964 of Thakurgaon, 15,583 of Dinajpur and 5,037 of Gaibandha in the division.

  Since the outbreak of the pandemic, a total of 3,15,635 collected samples were tested till Wednesday, and of them, 57,913 were found Covid-19 positive with an average positivity rate of 18.35 percent in the division.

  At the same time, the number of healed Covid-19 patients reached 54,685 in all eight districts of Rangpur division with the recovery of 24 more patients on Wednesday.

  The average recovery rate currently stands at 94.43 percent.

  "Earlier, the average recovery rate of Covid-19 patients reached 97.12 percent on January 14 last in the division and the same sharply dropped by 2.69 percent in only 12 days to 94.43 percent," Dr. Islam said.

  Among the total 57,913 patients, 65 are under treatments at isolation units, including 14 critical patients at ICU beds and seven at High Dependency Unit beds, after recovery of 54,685 patients and 1,254 deaths while 1,909 are remaining in home isolation.

  "Meanwhile, the number of citizens who got the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine rose to 1,06,01,480 and among them, 63,28,049 got the second dose and 1,42,244 got the booster dose till Wednesday in the division," Dr Islam added.

  Principal of Rangpur Medical College Professor Dr. Bimal Chandra Roy told reporters that the pandemic situation is again deteriorating rapidly during the last more than two weeks in Rangpur division.

  "The number of Covid-19 cases is increasing hastily in the division. Everyone should sincerely abide by the health directives to prevent further community spread of the lethal virus, including its new Omicron variant," he said.