Shawdesh Desk:

Some 11 more people died at the Covid-19 unit of Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) during the last 24-hour till 6am on Monday, taking the death toll to 139 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.

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

“Among the deaths, seven tested positive for Covid-19 and four had its symptoms,” he said, adding five of them were aged above 61, three between 51 and 60, two between 41 and 50 and one between 01 and 10. Yesterday’s fatality figure was 18.

Some 42 more patients were admitted to the designated Covid wards of the hospital afresh during the time, taking its number to 399, including 211 tested positive for Covid-19, against 513 beds.

Another 19 patients are undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital. Forty-four other patients returned home after being cured during the time.

Yazdani said the infection rate has declined in Rajshahi to some extent compared to the previous day. A total of 97 people were found positive for Covid-19 after testing 356 samples in Rajshahi’s two laboratories on Sunday, showing 27.25 percent positivity rate.

The positivity rate was 34.63 percent on Saturday, 30.21 percent on Friday, 23.82 percent on Thursday, 23.89 percent on Wednesday, 24.93 percent on Tuesday and 27.74 percent on Monday 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, on an average, particularly during the last couple of weeks.