File photo: A health official uses a nasal swab to collect sample from a man for Covid-19 testing at Central Police Hospital in Rajarbagh, Dhaka on Thursday, May 21, 2020 Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune
Covid-19 deaths in Bangladesh crossed 1,000 on June 10, nearly three months since the first fatality was recorded
Since recording its first Covid-19 death on March 18, Bangladesh till Tuesday morning recorded a total of 5,007 fatalities, confirming a steady rise in the number of casualties caused by the deadly virus.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, it took us 85 days to top 1,000 coronavirus deaths, 25 days to reach 2,000, another 23 days to top 3,000, and 28 days each to reach and cross the grim milestones of 4,000 and 5,000 Covid-19 fatalities.
Compared to the worst-hit countries of the world, it took Bangladesh longer to register 5,000 deaths: UK took 30 days, Italy 31, USA 33, Brazil 44, France 50, Mexico 61, Peru 79, India 80, and Pakistan 114, to achieve the grim feat.
Covid-19 deaths in Bangladesh crossed 1,000 on June 10, nearly three months since the first fatality was recorded.
But with the latest developments -- 352,178 cases till Tuesday morning -- the mortality rate against the total number of cases detected in the country so far stands at 1.42%.
Moreover, it is only Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, among the eight South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) countries, that have recorded over 5,000 Covid-19 deaths so far.
Except for Afghanistan, with 1,444 deaths, no other Saarc countries have yet crossed the 1,000 mark.
Ravaged by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, India, and Pakistan, till 4pm on Tuesday, recorded 88,965 and 6,424 fatalities respectively, according to Worldometer.
It took India only six days to top 5,000 fatalities from 4,000, while Pakistan took 13 days, and Bangladesh crossed it within the span of four weeks. Whereas, the US crossed the grim milestone in a day.
With the available data, it can be said that in comparison to other Covid-19 worst-hit countries of the world, Bangladesh has so far done well in treating its patients and thus increasing the recovery rate.
In recognition of that, on September 17, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina praised the role of the Health Ministry in tackling the ongoing pandemic.
Recovery satisfactory
The percentage of total recoveries as opposed to total infections in Bangladesh, which now stands at 74.05%, is satisfactory when compared to Italy’s 73.02%, Mexico’s 71.80%, US’ 61.02%, and France’s 20.30%.
But Peru, India, Brazil, and Pakistan have a recovery rate of 80.53%, 80.86%, 85.24%, and 95.53% respectively, according to Worldometer.
Fatality rate low
The global Covid-19 death rate now stands at 3.08%, while Bangladesh has a mortality rate of 1.42%, one of the lowest among the Covid-19 worst-hit countries.
It is to be noted that the death rate in other countries such as India, 1.60%, Pakistan, 2.09%, US, 2.90%, Brazil, 3.01%, Peru, 4.07%, France, 6.84%, UK, 10.48%, Mexico, 10.52%, and Italy, 11.93%, is higher than that of Bangladesh.
Of all the casualties in Bangladesh, the highest casualty group, 50.47%, were over the age of 60, while 0.46% were below the age of 10.
So far, 3,890 men or 77.69%, and 1,117 women or 22.31%, have died from the deadly virus across the country
Daily testing not consistent
The average daily testing efforts fluctuated as Bangladesh crossed the grim milestones of 1,000, 2,000… and 5,000 coronavirus deaths.
When Bangladesh with over 160 million people crossed the mark of 1,000 deaths, the average rate of daily testing was 5,248, since March 8, when the first Covid-19 cases were reported.
On average a total of 16,180 Covid-19 tests were conducted while Bangladesh crossed 2,000 fatalities, 12,655 average tests were carried out till 3,000 deaths reported, and an average of 11,895 tests were conducted when we topped 4,000 deaths.
As Bangladesh crossed 5,000 deaths on Tuesday, on average as many as 13,511 tests were conducted across the country, which is now bracing itself for the second wave of the pandemic, according to experts.
