Bangladesh today recorded 29 coronavirus (COVID-19) deaths and 3,288 fresh cases overnight.
The recovery count rose to 70,721 after another 3,288 patients were discharged from the hospitals during the period, a top health official said.
�Twenty-nine more COVID-19 patients died in the last 24 hours, increasing the death toll from the pandemic to 1,997,� Additional Director General of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Nasima Sultana told a virtual media briefing at DGHS in the city.
She said the tally of infections has surged to 1, 59,679 as 3,288 new cases were confirmed in the 24 hours.
The health official also informed that a total of 14,727 samples were tested at 63 authorised laboratories across the country during the time.
Among the total infections, 44.29 percent patients have recovered while 1.25 percent died so far since the first COVID-19 positive cases were reported in the country on March 8, she said.
Bangladesh confirmed the first coronavirus death on March 18, ten days after the detection of the first COVID-19 cases.
Brushing aside the shortage of beds and ICUs for the COVID-19 patients, Nasima said there are 6075 beds and 149 ICUs in 16 COVID-19 dedicated hospital in Dhaka city.
The total number of beds and ICUs for the COVID-19 patients in the country are 14,775 beds and 401 respectively, the health official said, adding now 4708 patients are undergoing treatment at these hospitals and 209 were admitted to the ICUs.
�So, there is no scarcity of ICUs and beds in the hospital for COVID-19 patients,� she added.
Nasima urged the people to abide by health rules to protect themselves from the infection of the deadly virus.
�We�ve to be aware more about codes � Health protection measures are the best remedies to prevent the pandemic,� she added.
She laid emphasis on maintaining three heath directives � wearing mask, physical distancing and washing hands by soap � to contain the spread of COVID-19.