Shawdesh Desk:

The coronavirus (Covid-19) infection rate hastily crossed the 35 percent mark on Saturday in Rangpur division where the same continues rising rapidly amid a declining recovery rate in recent weeks.

Focal Person of Covid-19 and Assistant Director (Health) for Rangpur division Dr ZA Siddiqui said the number of Covid-19 cases climbed to 21,838 as 207 more patients were reported after testing 588 samples at the infection rate of 35.20 percent on Saturday in the division.

Earlier, the daily infection rates were 29.12 percent on Friday, 33.60 percent on Thursday, 31.68 percent on Wednesday, 30.18 percent on Tuesday, 30.77 percent on Monday and 29.02 percent on Sunday last in the division.

“The district-wise break up of total 21,838 patients stands at 5,397 in Rangpur, 891 in Panchagarh, 1,675 in Nilphamari, 1,288 in Lalmonirhat, 1,441 in Kurigram, 2,333 in Thakurgaon, 6,943 in Dinajpur and 1,870 in Gaibandha of the division,” he said.

Since the beginning, a total of 1,43,5736 collected samples were tested till Saturday, and of them, 21,838 were found Covid-19 positive with an average infection rate of 15.21 percent.

Talking to BSS today, Acting Divisional Director (Health) Dr Abu Md Zakirul Islam said the Covid-19 infection related death toll reached 453 in Rangpur division as one more patient died in Rangpur on Saturday.

The district-wise break up of the 453 fatalities stands at 105 in Rangpur, 165 in Dinajpur, 57 in Thakurgaon, 38 in Nilphamari, 26 in Kurigram, 20 in Panchagarh, 23 in Gaibandha and 19 in Lalmonirhat districts of the division.

“The average casualty rate currently stands at 2.07 percent in the division,” Dr Islam added.

Meanwhile, the total number of healed COVID-19 patients rose to 18,745 with recovery of 54 more infected patients on Saturday in the division where the average recovery rate dropped to 85.84 percent.

“The average recovery rate of Covid-19 infected patients was 97.55 percent more than three months ago on March 9 last in the division where the same dropped by 11.71 percent to 85.84 percent during the period,” Dr Islam said.

“The 18,745 recovered patients include 4,869 of Rangpur, 822 of Panchagarh, 1,560 of Nilphamari, 1,090 of Lalmonirhat, 1,181 of Kurigram, 1,650 of Thakurgaon, 5,818 of Dinajpur and 1,755 of Gaibandha districts in the division,” he said.

Among the 21,838 infected patients, 1481 are undergoing treatments at isolation units, including 22 critical patients at ICU beds and seven at High Dependency Unit beds, after recovery of 18,745 patients and 453 deaths while 2,568 remaining in home isolation.

Meanwhile, the number of citizens who got the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine rose to 5,97,691 as 748 more were vaccinated with the first dose of Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine in Rangpur division on Saturday.

“At the same time, the number of second dose recipient citizens rose to 3,88,016 with inoculation of nine more citizens with the second dose of the jab on Saturday in the division,” Dr Islam added.