The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Sunday acknowledged the dengue situation was deteriorating “alarmingly”.  Director general of health services Professor Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam told that in a news agency. He warned that continued increase of the infection rate could expose Bangladesh to a national crisis. The pressure of dengue patients is mounting, if the trend continues our capacity will exhaust,”  Alam said in line with the official mandate his office was handling with the treatment issues but agencies entrusted with the task of preventing dengue carrying Aedes mosquitoes must enhance their campaign to halt phenomenon to prevent the crisis. The DGHS chief’s comments came as the dengue so far infected 20,878 people and killed 106 of them since January. 

Bangladesh today (Jan 28) posted highest COVID-19 positivity rate in a single day since the pandemic began on March 8, 2020 as it reported 33.37 percent positive cases from 46,268 samples test in the past 24 hours.    "The highest infection rate in Bangladesh was 32.55 on July 24, 2021,"Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said in its routine daily statement.    In the past 24 hours, the country reported 15,440 Covid-19 cases while the coronavirus claimed overnight 20 lives, it added. Source: BSS AH

India is not considering authorizing booster COVID-19 doses yet as many in the country has been naturally infected and the government believes two doses of a vaccine offers sufficient protection for now, three sources with knowledge of the matter said. As vaccine supplies have increased, some doctors and public health experts in India have urged the government to start a booster program for the most vulnerable like many Western nations have done. But authorities will instead concentrate on having most of India's 944 million adults complete a two-dose vaccination by January before shifting their focus to a big expansion in exports, said the sources who are involved in vaccine-policy discussions. So far, 81% of India's adults have received at least one dose while 43% have had two doses. Vaccination for people under 18 has not yet begun. "The priority is to fully immunize the adult population," said one of the sources. The sources declined to be named as the matter was still being discussed by policy makers. "A big majority has been naturally infected, and for them two doses are enough. That's why we are seeing that even after recent festivals, cases are not rising." The source said that once most adults have had two vaccine doses, the government could make boosters optional. The health ministry did not respond to a request for comment. India reported the most COVID-19 case and death figures in the world in April and May and government surveys have shown that nearly 70% of Indians were naturally infected by July. The country has so far logged 34.5 million infections - the most after the United States - with more than 465,000 deaths. Although India celebrated two of its biggest festivals, Diwali and Durga Puja in October and November, infections have fallen to multi-month lows. Many Western countries are expanding their booster programs, even for people without compromised immunity - a policy which the World Health Organization has heavily criticized. Indian vaccine companies like the Serum Institute of India, which produces licensed versions of the AstraZeneca and Novavax shots, expect the government to allow boosters sometime early next year. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories says it is in talks with India's drug regulator to sell Russia's Sputnik Light as a booster dose. Indian states had more than 216 million vaccine doses in stock as of early Monday. India's vaccine output has more than tripled since April to around 300 million doses a month. Source: Business Standard  

Bangladesh today (Friday) reported 28.27 percent COVID-19 positive cases, the highest in a single day since the outbreak of the pandemic, as 30,012 samples were tested in the past 24 hours.    "The country recorded 8,483 coronavirus cases and 132 deaths in a span of 24 hours, the second highest in terms of both infection and fatality," Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said in its routine daily statement.   The tally of COVID-19 cases has surged to 9, 30, 042 so far, it added.   The recovery count rose to 8,25,422 after another 4,509 patients were discharged from the hospitals during the past one day.   The DGHS statistics showed of the people infected from the beginning, 88.75 percent recovered, while 1.59 percent died. Source: BSS AH

In the last 24 hours 54 more people have died due to coronavirus infection across the country. With this figure the number of deaths has reached at 13,399. In this period 3,883 new Covid-19 cases were traced in the country. As a result the number of infections has surged to 8,44,970. The information was delivered through the regular press release of the health directorate on Friday. On Thursday the number of deaths was 63 and 3,840 new Covid cases were traced across the country. The press release said, in the last 24 hours 21,373 samples were collected across the country and of those 20,882 samples were tested. The total count of tested samples has reached at 62,88,539. The rate of traced cases was 18.59 per cent comparing to the samples tested in the last 24 hours. The overall rate of coronavirus traced cases was 13.44 per cent comparing to the total samples tested. In this period 1,955 people have recovered from the disease and the recovery count has risen to 7,78,421. AH   

Another 47 people died from coronavirus infection in the country in last 24 hours. With this the number of death has reached at 13,118. In this period fresh 2,436 coronavirus cases have been traced across the country. With this figure the number of infected people has surged to 8,26,922. On Saturday (yesterday) the number of death due to coronavirus was 39 and the number of infected persons was 1,637. The information was delivered by the health directorate at its regular press briefing on Sunday. The notice said, in this period total 18,473 samples were collected in 512 government and non-government laboratories across the country and of those 18,749 samples were tested. With this figure the number of tested sample has reached at 61,75,112. The Covid-19 case rate comparing to the new tests conducted has reached at 12.99 per cent. The tracing rate has reached 13.39 comparing to the total tests conducted so far. During the period 2,242 people have recovered from the deadly disease and taking the toll of recovery into 7,66,266. The rate of recovery has reached at 92.66 per cent. AH   

Total 52 people died in the last 24 hours across the country after being infected with coronavirus. In this period total 5,358 people were infected with the deadly virus afresh. It is the highest number of infection traced in a day in the country. Earlier, the number of highest infection was 5,181 in a day (on March 29). So far 9,046 people died in the country being infected with Covid-19. The information was delivered on Wednesday at the regular press release of the health directorate. The release said, in the last 24 hours total 26,931 samples were tested across the country. The number of total traced infected people has stood at 6,11,295. In the last 24 hours total 2,219 people have recovered and the number of recovery has stood at 5,42,399. Yesterday 45 people died across the country and the number of infection was 5,042. AH

News that US President Donald Trump, world’s most powerful man was infected with the world’s most notorious is drawing instant reactions of shock, sympathy, undisguised glee and of course, the ever-present outrage and curiosity. Trump announced on Friday, on Twitter, that he and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for the coronavirus. The positive test reading adds more uncertainty to investors’ worries, especially about its effect on the Nov. 3 election between the Republican president and Democrat Joe Biden. US stock futures and most world markets fell on the news as did the price of oil. World leaders were quick to offer official sympathy from the top, while something approaching schadenfreude bubbled up from elsewhere. Trump joins a growing list of the powerful who have contracted the virus, including many who were skeptical of the disease. “I’m sure that your inherent vitality, good spirits and optimism will help you cope with the dangerous virus,” Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote in a direct message to Trump released by the Kremlin. World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted “My best wishes to President @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS for a full and speedy recovery.” The Trump administration in July formally notified the United Nations of its withdrawal from WHO, although the pullout won’t take effect until next year. Trump claims the U.N. health agency is in need of reform and is heavily influenced by China. The U.N. secretary-general also sent in best wishes. Italian right-wing opposition leader Matteo Salvini tweeted: “In Italy and in the world, whoever celebrates the illness of a man or of a woman, and who comes to wish the death of a neighbor, confirms what he is: An idiot without soul. A hug to Melania and Donald.″ British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was hospitalized for a week in April after he contracted COVID-19, wished Trump a “speedy recovery.” Dr. Bharat Pankhania, who advises Johnson’s government on communicable disease control, said he hopes that Trump’s positive test sends a message to the president and other leaders. “We need politicians, especially politicians like President Trump who has a lot of power and influence, to take this seriously and to support their scientists and clinicians in leading the outbreak management, rather than have political influence in trying to deny that this virus is in circulation and drag your feet around control measures because it suited your agenda.” Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, speaking at a weekly news conference, did not mention Trumps reluctance to wear masks when asked about his infection, but she said the news “reminded me of how widely masks are worn in Japan.” Major media across the globe also played up the announcement, with bulletins crawling across TV screens in Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei, Dubai and Beijing. Source: AP/UNB AH

Health Minister Zahid Maleque expressed concern that coronavirus infection rate may increase centering the flood and celebration of Eid-ul-Azha. He expressed his concern at the Annual Performance Agreement signing ceremony between different departments and organizations under health education and family welfare division at the health ministry conference room on Thursday. The Health Minister said, to check spread of corona transmission several health guidelines are asked to follow. But it can be disrupted due to the Eid journey and gathering of people in the cattle markets. In this way the infection rate can increase. He said, many people have to take shelter at one place in different parts of the country due to flood. In this way it is hard to follow the health guidelines. In these two reasons the rate of corona infection can increase. The minister also urged all to follow the health guidelines to get rid of the virus. Read In Bangla Version AH

The physical condition of Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader is improving day by day. Quader also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister is at present undergoing treatment at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore. His blood pressure has become normal. Kidneys are functioning normally and infections are under control. Director of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and neurologist Professor Dr. Abu Nasar Rizvi delivered the information on Friday quoting cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Sibastan Kumar Sami, the senior member of the medical team formed for treatment of Obaidul Quader. Later the matter was informed through a notice signed by road transport and highways division Deputy Chief Information Officer Md. Abu Naser. Abu Nasar Rizvi said, the minister was better today than the previous day. His heart is functioning without any artificial support. Obaidul Quader (67) is suffering from heart disease, diabetes and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). He was admitted at BSMMU on Sunday morning with complain of breathlessness. Three coronary artery blockages were detected in his body following performing angiogram. Quader was shifted to Singapore Mount Elizabeth Hospital on Monday afternoon with an air ambulance for better treatment.   The medical board is briefing Obaidul Quader’s wife Isratunnesa Quader and BSMMU physician Abu Nasar Rizvi everyday about his condition. Dr. Rizvi is informing the newsmen of the country about Quader’s health condition through video message. AH