Published in: The Daily Star

Date: 12 Dec 2020

The number of patients with severe Covid-19 infections is apparently on the rise, as record shows that the occupancy rate of ICU beds at the dedicated hospitals has gone up by 14 percentage points from 45 percent in the last two months.

Five months ago, on July 12, the ICU bed occupancy rate was 56.14 percent, which dropped to 45 percent on October 12.

Out of 374 ICU beds, only 210 were occupied on July 12. By October 12, the number of ICU beds occupied increased to 564. The record shows that 254 ICU beds were occupied by Covid-19 patients on the day.

As the winter begins, the number of novel coronavirus cases has shot up and so has the demand for ICU beds.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services, 335 out of 567 ICU beds at the Covid-19 dedicated hospitals were occupied by patients as of yesterday.

Meanwhile, 19 more people died from coronavirus infections in 24 hours ending 8:00am yesterday, according to a DGHS press release.

The total number of deaths has now reached 6,986, and the death rate stands at 1.43 percent.

At least 1,884 new infections were recorded during this period, taking the number of people infected to 4,87,849, the release added.

The current positivity rate is 11.54 percent, while the total positivity rate is 16.57 percent.

Some 16,323 samples were tested across the country in those 24 hours.

At least 3,866 Covid-19 patients recovered in the meantime.

The number of recoveries now stands at 4,14,318 and the recovery rate is 84.93 percent.

Of the 19 deceased, 13 were men and six women.

One was aged between 21 and 30, one between 31 and 40, four were aged between 41 and 50, two between 51 and 60, and 11 were above 60 years old, added the release.

Currently, Bangladesh ranks 32nd in the world in terms of the Covid-19 death toll and 26th for total number of cases.

MALDIVIAN AIRLINES FINED

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport has fined the Maldivian Airlines Tk 2,38,000 for arriving with passengers who have not been tested for coronavirus.

The national flag carrier of Maldives brought 200 passengers to Dhaka on Thursday and almost none of them had proof that they had been tested negative for the virus, Executive Magistrate Ahmed Zamil at the HSIA told The Daily Star.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh in a circular on December 4 announced that anyone coming to Bangladesh must be tested.

Source:

https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/news/number-critical-virus-cases-rise-2009821