Covid-19: Global cases nears 54 million

Global coronavirus cases are getting close to 54 million with 1,310,433 deaths since the virus emerged in China late last year.

The number of globally confirmed coronavirus cases reached 53,852,537 as of Sunday morning, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University (JHU).

In terms of the total number of cases and fatalities, the US leads with over 10,891,007 cases and 245,578 deaths.

The second-highest number of cases has been confirmed in India with 8,773,479 followed by Brazil with 5,848,959, France with 1,915,713, Russia with 1,887,836, Spain with 1,458, 591 and the UK with 1,347,907 cases.

Brazil's Covid-19 death toll hit 165,658 on Saturday after 921 deaths were reported in 24 hours, according to its Ministry of Health.

Meanwhile, the Latin American country registered 38,307 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the national count to 5,848,959.

Situation in Bangladesh

Bangladesh recorded 1,531 new coronavirus cases and 14 deaths in 24 hours until Saturday morning amid apprehensions about a second deadly wave of Covid-19 this winter.

Fatalities from the virus outbreak in the country reached 6,173 with a death rate of 1.43 percent.

The caseload rose to 430,496 as of Saturday, the Directorate General of Health Services said.

Besides, 11,795 new samples were tested in 24 hours. The daily infection rate stood at 12.98 percent and the overall rate at 17.03 percent.

Meanwhile, 1,462 people recovered in the past 24 hours. So far, 348,849 patients – 80.8 percent – have overcome it.

Bangladesh reported its first cases on March 8 and the first death on March 18.

So far, 3,234 people died in Dhaka, 1,211 in Chattogram, 377 in Rajshahi, 482 in Khulna, 206 in Barishal, 257 in Sylhet, 277 in Rangpur and 129 in Mymensingh.

Currently, 39,315 people are quarantined and 12,176 in isolation across the country.-UNB