Bangladesh's daily COVID-19 caseload hits new high

According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the contagion has so far killed 15,792 people.

The new cases heightened the infection rate to 31.62 while the figure was 31.32 on Wednesday.

The total caseload now stands at 966,406 with central Dhaka division logging 4,949 cases, the highest among eight administrative divisions, followed by southeastern Chittagong with 1,936, Khulna with 1,732 and Rajshahi with 1,048.

Out of eight administrative divisions, central Dhaka emerged as the worst affected region in terms of death toll, recording 65 deaths overnight, followed by southwestern Khulna with 55 and Chittagong 37 fatalities.

The DGHS said the virus overnight infected 3,285 people in Dhaka district.

Since the outbreak of the second wave of the pandemic last month, Bangladesh has seen higher infection cases in northwestern and southwestern districts bordering India.

After a fall in COVID-19 cases in the first two months of 2021, Bangladesh continued to witness a sharp increase of infection and fatality rates with an exception in March. The Delta variant of the virus is causing fresh cases.

The country has imposed a two-week nationwide lockdown since July 1, calling out Army troops to assist the police in enforcing the restrictions.