By SM Najmus Sakib
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – Bangladesh reported 35 deaths and over 2,400 new coronavirus cases on Thursday.
Six women and 29 men died of COVID-19-related complications over the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 781, Prof. Nasima Sultana of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said at a daily briefing.
A total of 2,423 more cases were confirmed across the country in the same period, raising the overall count to 57,563.
The official said 12,694 blood samples were tested at 50 authorized labs, taking the total number of tests to 358,277.
Recoveries reached 12,161 after 571 more patients were discharged from hospitals across the country, Sultana said.
According to official data, 19.09% of all suspected patients have tested positive, recoveries stand at 21.13%, and the mortality rate in Bangladesh is 1.36%.
- Bearing the brunt
At least 17 healthcare workers have died of COVID-19 in Bangladesh since March, including two on Thursday, according to a doctors’ association.
Dr. Shahed Rafi Pavel, chairman of the Bangladesh Doctors' Foundation, told Anadolu Agency that 1,011 physicians have contracted the virus while serving at medical facilities across the country.
Law enforcers are the worst-hit group in Bangladesh, accounting for nearly 6,000 of the country’s COVID-19 cases.
A total of 5,831 police personnel have been infected and 16 have died so far, the Bangladesh Police media cell told Anadolu Agency.
With 1,777 cases, the police force of the capital Dhaka is the hardest-hit.
Despite increasing cases and fatalities in recent days, Bangladesh lifted an over two-month nationwide lockdown on Sunday.
The country of over 165 million was under lockdown since March 26 and restrictions ended on May 30 after several extensions.
The government’s decision, taken with a view of resuming economic activities, has garnered criticism within the country, as people continue to flout safety guidelines.
Trade centers, markets, and government offices have reopened, while public transport services have also resumed across the country.
- New test Lab for garment workers
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association inaugurated a modern coronavirus testing lab for readymade garment workers in Gazipur district near the capital Dhaka on Tuesday.
The lab has the capability to test 400 samples per day that would be gradually improved, said the association in a news conference. The readymade garment is the country’s main exporting sector that covers more than 80% of total exports. At least 264 garment workers were infected with the coronavirus, so far.
* MD Kamruzzaman from Dhaka contributed to this story.