The rate of coronavirus (Covid-19) infections in Bangladesh has surged more than 90 per cent in a week, with a 20 per cent increase in sample tests over that period as the pandemic renews its grip on the country.
The number of deaths from the coronavirus rose 85 per cent during that time, reports bdnews24.com citing the health directorate’s data.
As many as 139,666 samples were tested at labs across the country between Mar 14 and Mar 20, returning 12,470 positive results. The week saw 141 deaths from COVID-19, while 10,408 patients recovered.
In the previous week from Mar 7 to Mar 13, a total of 6,512 active cases were detected from 116,232 tested samples with a death count of 76.
The official figures indicate a 91.49 per cent weekly spike in active while the mortality rate went up 85.53 per cent.
The caseload climbed by 1,868 to 558,706 with a positivity rate of 9.39 per cent on Saturday. The death toll rose to 8,668 after 26 new fatalities were reported died from COVID-19, according to data released by the government.
Another 1,577 people recovered from COVID-19 through treatment at home and in hospital care in the same period, bringing the tally of recoveries to 520,718.
After dropping below 5.0 per cent on Jan 19, the positivity rate decreased further to 3.0 per cent, but began to rise again in early March to cross the 5.0 per cent mark again on Mar 9.
The daily infection rate ranged from 9.0 per cent to 11 per cent over the last three days.