Covid cases crosses 5,000 mark, positivity rate nearly 18%

The country witnessed a sharp rise in daily infection rate on the second day of the week, as 5,222 more people tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours till 8am after six months alongwith eight deaths. 

The number of daily cases crossed the 5,000 mark for the first time since 24 August when 5,249 confirmed cases were reported across the country.

On Sunday, the health officials recorded a 17.82% positivity rate testing 29,305 samples across the country. Daily positivity rate is the highest too since 17 August last year. 

The country registered seven deaths and 3,447 cases on Saturday. 

The latest figures took the country's death toll to 28,144 and the case tally to 16,17,711.

Earlier, health experts predicted that the daily case detection rate may reach upto 10,000 this week. 

Meanwhile, city corporation elections was held in Narayanganj Sunday amid this upward transmission trend. 

Professor Nazrul Islam, noted virologist and a member of the National Technical Advisory committee on covid-19 suggested for monitoring the Covid situation of the country by increasing test number in next 14 days considering Narayanganj a case. 

Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) informed in a regular bulletin that the case detection rate has jumped by 222% while death toll by 61% in a one week gap. 

DGHS spokesperson Professor Dr Nazmul Islam said the transmission was stable in the country since the beginning of November till mid-December. The positivity rate started rising from the third week of December and the scenario has completely changed in January.  

"Omicron has replaced Delta variant allover the world. Bangladesh too can have the same experience," said Dr Nazmul.

There is no scope for complacency thinking that Omicron is less severe harming the lungs minimum, he added. 

He suggested for following same health guidelines as people followed during the Delta wave.