Global Covid Cases Approach 201 Million

The global Covid-19 caseload is now nearing the grim milestone of 201 million, as the highly contagious Delta variant continues to devastate several countries even with mass inoculations underway.

The total caseload and fatalities from the virus stand at 200,792,438 and 4,265,792, respectively, as of Friday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University (JHU).

So far, 4,305,633,910 Covid vaccine doses have been administered across the globe, as per the university data.

The US has logged 35,432,333 cases and 615,309 deaths to date, according to the university data. The death toll in the United States is the highest in the world.

India recorded the world's second-highest caseload of 31,855,783, followed by Brazil with 20,066,587 cases as well as the world's second-largest death toll of 560,801.

Besides, India’s death toll reached 426,785 on Thursday morning.

Countries with more than four million cases include Russia, France, Britain, Turkey, Argentina, Colombia, Spain, Italy and Iran, while those with over 100,000 deaths include India, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Britain, Italy, Colombia and France.

The global caseload reached the grim milestone of 100 million on January 26, and doubled in more than half a year this Thursday.

Situation in Bangladesh

Grappling with the worst coronavirus wave spurred by the highly contagious Delta variant, Bangladesh reported 264 more deaths in 24 hours till Thursday morning, shattering all the previous records.

The country saw the highest-ever 258 Covid deaths on July 27 before that.

Besides, 12,744 people came out positive with the virus after the test of 46,995 samples during the 24-hour period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

The fresh numbers took the total fatality to 21,905 and the caseload to 1,322,654.

The case positivity rate during the period fell slightly to 27.12 per cent from Wednesday’s 27.91 per cent, while the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a 5 per cent or below rate.

The country has been seeing over 14,000 cases and 230 deaths every day on an average for the last seven days.

The recovery rate, however, rose to 87.47 per cent, with the recovery of 15,786 people during the period.

However, the case fatality rose to 1.66 per cent again from Wednesday's 1.65 per cent during the same period, the DGHS added.

Dhaka division remained the worst-hit region, logging 87 deaths, followed by 56 in Chattogram, 35 in Khulna, 23 in Sylhet, 19 in Rajshahi, 18 in Rangpur, 12 in Rajshahi, 16 in Barishal and 10 in Mymensingh divisions.

Of the deceased, 140 were men and 164 women.