Global Covid Cases Near 208 Million

The global Covid-19 caseload is now nearing the grim milestone of 208 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 stood at 207,824,763 and 4,370,906 respectively, as of Tuesday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University (JHU).

So far, 4,704,997,138 Covid vaccine doses have been administered across the globe, as per the university data.

The US has logged 36,886,005 cases and 622,306 deaths to date, according to the JHU data. The death toll in the United States is the highest in the world.

Children made up 15% of the reported weekly Covid-19 cases in the US for the week ending August 5, according to a recent report by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Amid a surge of infections driven by the highly contagious Delta variant in the country, almost 94,000 Covid-19 cases among children were reported the past week, "a continuing substantial increase", said the AAP in the report updated on August 9.

Brazil registered 434 more Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, raising its national death toll to 569,492, the health ministry said on Monday.

The ministry said that the total caseload rose to 20,378,570 after 14,471 new cases were detected.

Brazil currently has the world's second-highest pandemic death toll after the United States, and the third-largest caseload after the United States and India.

India's Covid-19 tally rose to 32,225,513 on Monday as some 32,937 new cases were registered in 24 hours across the country, as per the federal health ministry data.

Besides, as many as 417 deaths were reported due to the pandemic since Sunday morning, taking the total death toll to 431,642.

Situation in Bangladesh

Bangladesh added 174 fatalities to its national tally on Monday, as Covid cases and deaths continue to fall for the fourth straight day.

The country is now reporting 9,315 new cases on an average each day – 64% of the peak. The highest daily average was reported on August 3.

Bangladesh recorded 6,959 new cases Monday after testing 33,015 samples, down from 11,463 logged a week earlier on August 9.

In 24 hours till Monday morning, the percentage of coronavirus tests coming back positive stood at 21.08%.

However, the recovery rate rose to 91.31%, and the case fatality increased to 1.71% compared to the same period.

The country has been experiencing a surge of Covid-related caseload and deaths since June 2021. 

Vaccine co-production

Bangladesh, China and Incepta Pharmaceutical Ltd on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the co-production of Sinopharm vaccine in Bangladesh.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque and Abdul Muktadir, Chairman of Incepta Vaccine Limited signed the MoU from Dhaka while Li Can, President of China Sinopharm International Corporation and Zhu Jingjin, Vice President, China National Biotec Group Company Limited signed it from Beijing.

China has provided 2.1 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine as a gift to Bangladesh, 3.4 million doses under the COVAX facility, and 8 million doses as part of a large-scale commercial purchase agreement.