Global COVID-19 cases near 275 million as Omicron raging through world

The overall number of global Covid cases is fast approaching 275 million amid the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in several western countries.

 

According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 274,692,249 while the death toll from the virus reached 5,354,148 as of Monday morning.

 

The US has recorded 50,846,828 cases so far and more than 806,439 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows.

 

In Britain, another 12,133 Omicron cases have been recorded, the biggest daily increase since the COVID-19 variant was detected in the country, taking the total Omicron cases found in the country to 37,101, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Sunday.

 

Meanwhile, Britain reported 82,886 coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 11,361,387, according to official figures released Sunday. The country registered a further 45 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 147,218, with 7,611 Covid-19 patients still in hospital.

 

Brazil, which has been experiencing a new wave of cases since January, registered 22,213,762 cases as of Monday, while its Covid death toll rose to 617,803.

 

India's Covid-19 tally rose to 34,740,275 on Sunday, as 7,081 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours across the country, showed the federal health ministry's latest data.

 

Besides, as many as 264 deaths due to the pandemic since Saturday morning took the total death toll to 477,422.

 

Moreover, 10 new cases of the Omicron variant were logged in India's capital on Friday, taking the country's case tally of the new variant to 98.

 

Situation in Bangladesh

 

Bangladesh reported another Covid-linked death while the daily-case positivity rate rose to 1.22 per cent with health authorities logging 211 fresh cases in 24 hours till Sunday morning.

 

On Saturday, the daily-case positivity rate dropped below 1 per cent with the logging of 122 new cases.

 

The total fatalities rose to 28,048 while the caseload mounted to 15,81, 083 with the fresh ones, said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

 

The latest deceased was a man, aged between 51 and 60, and he hailed from the Dhaka division.

 

Meanwhile, the mortality rate remained static at 1.77 per cent during the period.

 

The fresh cases were detected after testing 17, 332 samples, said the DGHS.

 

Besides, the recovery rate declined a bit to 97.75 per cent with the recovery of 168 more patients during the 24-hour period.

 

On December 9, Bangladesh again logged zero Covid-related death after nearly three weeks as the pandemic was apparently showing signs of easing.

 

The country reported this years first zero Covid-related death in a single day on November 20 along with 178 infections since the pandemic broke out in Bangladesh in March 2020.

 

Bangladesh reported the highest number of daily fatalities of 264 on August 5 this year, while the highest daily caseload was 16,230 on July 28 this year.

 

Booster dose

 

Bangladesh on Sunday started administering the Covid-19 booster dose to health workers on trial basis in capital Dhaka to fight off Covid-19.

 

The booster dose is being administered at Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (BCPS) in Mohakhali area of the city in the morning.

 

Initially, the booster dose will be administered on a low scale as a caution. After observing the effects of the vaccine for a few days, itll be rolled out for others, Dr Abu Hossain Md Mainul Ahsan, the Civil Surgeon of Dhaka district, told journalists on Saturday in a virtual briefing.

 

Besides, doctors, nurses and health workers will get the dose, while senior citizens will get it in the next phase, keeping their comorbidities in mind. said the Civil Surgeon.

 

On December 13, the Cabinet directed the authorities concerned, particularly the health minister and the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19, to work on a precise guideline over the campaign of booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine in Bangladesh.