Lowest 6.88pc Covid-19 Positivity Rate in 5 Months in Rangpur

The lowest 6.88 percent Covid-19 positivity rate was recorded on Friday, for the first time below the 10 percent mark in five months since March 24 last when the rate was 10.72 percent, in Rangpur division.

Health officials said the Covid-19 positivity and fatality rates continued declining almost during the last four weeks amid increasing recovery rate gradually improving the pandemic situation in the division, reports BSS.

“Only 26 new Covid-19 cases were reported after testing 378 samples of Rangpur division at the daily positivity rate of 6.88 percent on Friday,” Focal Person of the Covid-19 and Assistant Director (Health) for Rangpur division Dr ZA Siddiqui told BSS today.

With the diagnosis of 26 new patients on Friday, the total number of Covid-19 patients rose to 53,540 in all eight districts of Rangpur division.

Earlier, the daily positivity rates were 12.60 percent on Saturday, 12.04 percent on Wednesday, 12.08 percent on Tuesday, 16.05 percent on Monday and 11.66 percent on Sunday last in the division.  

“The district-wise break up of 53,540 patients stands at 12,171 in Rangpur, 3,515 in Panchagarh, 4,328 in Nilphamari, 2,678 in Lalmonirhat, 4,536 in Kurigram, 7,247 in Thakurgaon, 14,321 in Dinajpur and 4,744 in Gaibandha of the division,” he added.

Meanwhile, two casualties were reported with one each from Rangpur and Thakurgaon districts during the last 24 hours ending at 8 am today raising the death toll to 1,202 in the division.

The district-wise break up of the 1,202 fatalities stands at 286 in Rangpur, 77 in Panchagarh, 86 in Nilphamari, 63 in Lalmonirhat, 66 in Kurigram, 243 in Thakurgaon, 319 in Dinajpur and 62 in Gaibandha districts of the division.

“The average casualty rate currently stands at 2.25 percent in the division,” Dr Siddiqui added.

Divisional Director (Health) Dr Md Motaharul Islam said a total of 2,59,490 collected samples were tested till Friday, and of them, 53,540 were found Covid-19 positive with an average positivity rate of 20.63 percent in the division      

In the meantime, the total number of healed Covid-19 patients reached 48,510 with recovery of 61 more infected patients on Friday in the division where the average recovery rate currently stands at 90.61 percent.         

The 48,510 recovered patients include 9,852 of Rangpur, 3,189 of Panchagarh, 4,104 of Nilphamari, 2,445 of Lalmonirhat, 4,256 of Kurigram, 6,393 of Thakurgaon, 13,787 of Dinajpur and 4,484 of Gaibandha districts in the division.  

Among the 53,540 patients, 162 are undergoing treatments at isolation units, including 20 critical patients at ICU beds and 10 at High Dependency Unit beds, after recovery of 48,510 patients and 1,202 deaths while 3,666 are remaining in home isolation.  

“Meanwhile, the number of citizens who got the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine rose to 19,73,140, and among them, 7,92,838 got the second dose of the jab till Friday in the division,” Dr Islam added.   

Chief of Divisional Coronavirus Service and Prevention Task Force and Principal of Rangpur Medical College Professor Dr AKM Nurunnobi Lyzu told BSS that the Covid-129 situation continued improving in recent weeks in Rangpur division.

“All people should properly abide by the health directives, hygiene rules, wear masks and maintain physical distance to maintain the improving trend of the Covid-19 situation in the division,” he added.