RANGPUR, Feb 24, 2022 (BSS) - One more Covid-19 patient died during the
last 24 hours ending at 8 am today raising the number of casualties to 1,278
in Rangpur division.

   Health officials said the pandemic situation is improving fast in the
division as the number of positive cases continues declining amid an
increasing recovery rate of infected patients during the last more than one
week.

   "The new Covid-19 related casualty was reported from Lalmonirhat district
in the division," Divisional Director (Health) Dr. Abu Md. Zakirul Islam
Lenin told BSS today.

   The district-wise breakup of the 1,278 fatalities stands at 296 in
Rangpur, 84 in Panchagarh, 92 in Nilphamari, 73 in Lalmonirhat, 69 in
Kurigram, 259 in Thakurgaon, 340 in Dinajpur and 65 in Gaibandha of the
division.

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

   Meanwhile, 30 fresh Covid-19 cases were diagnosed after testing 353
samples at the 8.50 percent positivity rate on Wednesday in the division
where the daily positivity rate is showing a declining trend in recent days.

   Earlier, the daily Covid-19 positivity rates were 10.32 percent on
Tuesday, 7.22 percent on Monday, 12.30 percent on Sunday, 14.57 percent on
Saturday, 10.82 percent on Friday and 19.74 percent on Thursday last in the
division," Dr. Islam said.

   "With the diagnosis of 30 fresh Covid-19 cases, the total number of
infected patients has reached 63,968 in Rangpur division," Dr. Islam said.

   The district-wise break up of total 63,968 patients include 14,910 in
Rangpur, 4,405 in Panchagarh, 5,466 in Nilphamari, 3,271 in Lalmonirhat,
4,970 in Kurigram, 8,568 in Thakurgaon, 16,890 in Dinajpur and 5,488 in
Gaibandha in the division.

   Since the outbreak of the pandemic, a total of 3,35,512 collected samples
were tested till Wednesday, and of them, 63,968 were found Covid-19 positive
with an average positivity rate of 19.07 percent.

   At the same time, the number of healed Covid-19 patients reached 60,505 in
Rangpur division with the recovery of 178 more patients on Wednesday.

   The average recovery rate presently stands at 94.59 percent.

   Among the total 63,968 patients, 76 are under treatments at isolation
units, including nine critical patients at ICU beds and eight at High
Dependency Unit beds, after recovery of 60,505 patients and 1,278 deaths
while 2,109 are remaining in home isolation.

   "Meanwhile, the number of citizens who got the first dose of the Covid-19
vaccine rose to 1,15,89,578 and among them, 81,07,038 got the second dose and
3,34,643 got the booster dose till Wednesday in the division," Dr Islam
added.

   Principal of Rangpur Medical College Professor Dr. Bimal Chandra Roy told
the national news agency that the Covid-19 pandemic situation is improving as
the community spread of the deadly virus is becoming weaker in recent days.

   However, he suggested common people abide by the health directives to
contain further spread of the lethal virus and remain safe.