Shawdesh Desk:

Some 12 more people died at Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH)’s Covid-19 unit during the last 24-hour till 6am on Saturday, taking the death toll to 110 so far this month against 566 in July and 405 in June.

RMCH Director Brig Gen Dr Shamim Yazdani told newsmen that four were female among the deaths.

Three of the deceased were the residents in Rajshahi, two each from Chapainawabganj, Pabna and Kushtia and one each from Naogaon, Natore and Sirajganj districts, he said.

Among the deaths, four tested positive for Covid-19, five had its symptoms and three with post-Covid-19 complexities, he said, adding that yesterday’s fatality figure was 15. They were aged between 11 and 65.

Yazdani said the hospital also had counted ever-highest 25 fatalities caused by Covid-19 on July 14 and June 29 last since the pandemic began.

Some 43 more patients were admitted to the designated Covid wards of the hospital afresh during the time, taking its number to 407, including 203 tested positive for Covid-19, against 513 beds.

Another 20 patients are undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital. Twenty-nine other patients returned home after being cured during the time.

Meanwhile, 55 people were found positive for Covid-19 after testing 182 samples in Rajshahi’s two laboratories on Friday, showing 30.21 percent positivity rate.

The positivity rate was 23.82 percent on Thursday, 23.89 percent on Wednesday, 24.93 percent on Tuesday, 27.74 percent on Monday, 27.17 percent on Sunday and 32.71 percent on Saturday last.

Yazdani said over 60 percent of the new Covid-19 patients admitted to the corona unit of RMCH are from villages, reiterating that awareness among the villagers is less compared to the urban people.

“Despite symptoms they hesitate to go for tests. Only they are coming to the hospital when they feel worse. Then we have nothing to do for them, they are dying,” he continued.

Yazdani said utmost attention should be given to the villages along with urban areas as the fatality rate among the villagers is more and the grave situation is aggravating day-by-day there.

Apart from the administration and health workers, public representatives, political activists and volunteers should come forward and work together, otherwise, the situation may be further more alarming, he mentioned.

He also opined that demand for oxygen has been rising continuously for the last couple of months in the wake of a surge of patients in the hospital.

Over 8,000 liters of oxygen are being supplied to the Covid-19 patients every day on an average in the hospital at present but the daily oxygen demand was only 2,500 liters in around two months back.

The oxygen demand has gone up by around 3,000 liters, particularly during the last couple of weeks, on an average.