RANGPUR, July 9, 2021 (BSS) - The second highest number of 833 coronavirus (Covid-19) cases was recorded in a day in Rangpur division on Thursday since the beginning of the pandemic.
 
   Health officials said the number of Covid-19 cases quickly climbed to 31,690 as 833 more patients were reported after testing 2,654 samples of the division at the positivity rate of 31.39 percent on Thursday.
    
  Earlier, the daily positivity rates were 28.41 percent on Wednesday, 41.80 percent on Tuesday, 34.79 percent on Monday, 34.23 percent on Sunday, 43 percent on Saturday and 21.56 percent on Friday last in the division.
    
  On June 23 last, the highest number of 843 Covid-19 cases was reported since the outbreak of the pandemic after testing 2,227 samples of the division at the positivity rate of 37.85 percent.
    
   "The infection rate continues rising with an increasing number of casualties amid a declining recovery rate in the division in recent weeks," Focal Person of Covid-19 and Assistant Director (Health) for Rangpur division Dr ZA Siddiqui told BSS today.
    
  The district-wise break up of total 31,690 patients now stands at 7,066 in Rangpur, 1,441 in Panchagarh, 2,280 in Nilphamari, 1,772 in Lalmonirhat, 2,175 in Kurigram, 4,386 in Thakurgaon, 9,997 in Dinajpur and 2,573 in Gaibandha of the division.
    
  Since the beginning, a total of 1,72,189 collected samples were tested till Thursday, and of them, 31,690 were found Covid-19 positive with an average infection rate of 18.40 percent.
 
  Talking to BSS today, Acting Divisional Director (Health) Dr Abu Md Zakirul Islam said the Covid-19 related death toll rose to 624 as 12 more patients died in Panchagarh, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Thakurgaon and Dinajpur on Thursday in the division.
    
   The district-wise break up of the 624 fatalities stands at 123 in Rangpur, 216 in Dinajpur, 114 in Thakurgaon, 42 in Nilphamari, 32 in Kurigram, 29 in Panchagarh, 29 in Gaibandha and 39 in Lalmonirhat districts of the division.
    
  The average casualty rate currently stands at 1.97 percent in the division.
    
  Meanwhile, the total number of healed Covid-19 patients reached 22,601 with recovery of 377 more infected patients on Thursday in the division where the average recovery rate currently stands at 71.32 percent.
    
  "The average recovery rate of Covid-19 infected patients was 97.55 percent four months ago on March 9 last in the division where the same sharply dropped by 26.23 percent to 71.32 percent during the period on Thursday," Dr Islam said.
 
   The 21,601 recovered patients include 5,373 of Rangpur, 911 of Panchagarh, 1,798 of Nilphamari, 1,273 of Lalmonirhat, 1,402 of Kurigram, 2,706 of Thakurgaon, 7,175 of Dinajpur and 1,963 of Gaibandha districts in the division.
    
  Among the 31,690 infected patients, 598 are undergoing treatments at isolation units, including 28 critical patients at ICU beds and 11 at High Dependency Unit beds, after recovery of 21,601 patients and 624 deaths while 8,313 are remaining in home isolation.
    
  "Meanwhile, the number of citizens who got the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine rose to 6,05,869 and among them, 3,89,354 got the second dose of the jab till Thursday in the division," Dr Islam added.
    
  Chief of Divisional Coronavirus Service and Prevention Task Force and Principal of Rangpur Medical College Professor Dr. AKM Nurunnobi Lyzu stressed on strictly abiding by the health directives and remain at homes during the lockdown to contain rising positivity rate in the division.