Stricter curbs soon

• One new Covid death, 1,116 infected

• Omicron cases rise to 21

• World tops two million new daily cases

The country reported one more death and 1,116 new positive cases from Covid-19 in the last 24 hours till 8am Saturday. The positivity rate remained as high as 5.79% riding on the surge in infections as the health officials tested 19,275 samples across the country.

Bangladesh registered one death and 1,146 cases the day before, with the positivity rate at 5.67%. With the latest additions, the death toll reached 28,099 and the case tally climbed to 15,92,209 in the country. 

In the preceding 24 hours, 154 more patients came round from the viral disease, taking the recovery rate at 97,39%

The country's maiden cases were reported on 8 March last year and the first death from the virus was reported on 18 March. 

Meanwhile, One more case of Omicron variant has been identified in the country, bringing the total number of Omicron cases to 21.

According to data published on the global database GISAID last night, the sample was collected from a suspected male patient, aged around 22, in Dhaka on December 28 and sequenced by the Child Health Research Foundation in the capital.

On December 9, the country's first two Omicron cases were reported.

Another report adds: Stricter countrywide restrictions and curbs will be in place in the next couple of days to stop further spread of Covid-19 and its Omicron variant, said Health Minister ZahidMaleque on Saturday.

"Stricter restrictions will be imposed in all districts in the next couple of days to contain the resurgent of the coronavirus pandemic," he said while addressing the media during a winter clothes distribution programme in Manikganj.

"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has approved the recommendations made by The National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 (NTAC) 

"Malls, shops, markets will have to shut down within 8pm. Public transports will operate at half passenger capacity," the minister added. 

Meanwhile, amid the ongoing rising trend in Covid-19 cases and deaths, he said that the government is yet to decide on the closure of educational institutions across the country.

He said, "Schools will remain open for the time being. If infections keep on rising, we then will see what can be done."

Asked about health safety guidelines not being properly followed in public places and eateries, he said, "Meetings, processions and elections are taking place across the country. Health rules are not being maintained anywhere. 

"The country will come to a standstill if we don't abide by the Covid-19 guidelines."

Earlier on Thursday (6 January), Cabinet Secretary KhandkerAnwarul Islam said that students, aged above 12 or above, must receive at least one vaccine dose to attend schools and colleges.

"The Ministry of Education has already given instructions that no one can come to schools without getting vaccinated. 

"The issue was discussed at an inter-ministerial meeting on January 3 and it was confirmed today," he said while briefing reporters after a Cabinet meeting.

On 4 January, the government announced a set of restrictions to fight the Omicron variant of the deadly virus. 

The 16-point guidelines are -  

• Ensuring proper health checkup and screening of passengers arriving from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Estonia, Lesotho and other countries, those are infected with Omicron

• Discouraging all kinds of social, political, religious and other gatherings

• Wearing masks properly outside

• Restaurants should allow customers half of their capacity

• Tourist spots, recreation centres, resort, community centres, cinema/theatre halls and other programmes including marriage, birthday, picnic and party, should operate at 50% of their capacity or less

• Health guidelines should be maintained at mosques and other places of worship

• Proper hygiene rules must be followed on public transports

• Passengers coming from infected countries must be placed in 14-day quarantine

• Health rules should be followed at all educational institutions and coaching centres

• Healthcare workers and receivers must wear masks at all sorts of medical centres and maintain hygiene rules 

• Those who have not yet received the Covid-19 vaccine should take their 1st and 2nd dose

• Vaccination campaigns should be conducted in compliance with healthcare guidelines 

• Meanwhile, those with Covid symptoms and the people who came in contact with them have to be isolated and quarantined respectively 

• Coordinating with local authorities to isolate suspected Covid-19 patients showing symptoms and test their samples 

• Masks should be worn by employees at all public and private offices and hygiene rules should be followed while carrying out official tasks 

• To raise awareness for wearing masks and following healthcare guidelines, using loudspeakers for promotion, even those that are in use at mosques, temples and pagodas. Local government officials and elected public representatives can be involved to run awareness campaigns

World tops two million new daily cases

The world recorded more than two million daily coronavirus cases on average between January 1 and 7 with figures doubling in 10 days, an AFP tally showed on Saturday. 

An average of 2,106,118 new daily infections were reported over the seven-day period, shortly after the one million case threshold was passed in the week of December 23-29, 2021.

New global case numbers have soared by 270 per cent since the highly contagious Omicron variant was discovered in South Africa in late November.

But Covid-related deaths were at their lowest level since October 2020, with an average of 6,237 per day recorded in the period between January 1 and 7.

Although early studies suggest Omicron causes less severe illness, experts have warned the sheer volume of cases fuelled by the strain could still overwhelm health systems.

Countries around the world have reintroduced restrictions and ramped up vaccination programmes in a bid to stem the spread of the virus.

Europe, as well as the United States and Canada, are the world's infection hotspots. The two regions respectively represented 49 per cent and 33 per cent of global Covid cases in the past week.

Covid cases skyrocketed by 47 per cent in Europe and 76 per cent in the United States and Canada compared with the previous week.

In the same period, Covid infections increased by 224 per cent in Oceania, 148 per cent in Latin America and the Caribbean, 116 per cent in the Middle East and 145 per cent in Asia.

The number of new cases reported in Africa remained stable but, as elsewhere, were at their highest level since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

The figures are based on official statistics produced by national health authorities.

A significant proportion of less severe or asymptomatic cases go undetected despite intensified testing regimes since the beginning of the pandemic.

Testing policies also vary from one country to another.

Taking into account excess mortality linked to Covid-19, the World Health Organization estimates the overall death toll could be two to three times higher.