Bangladesh: Over half of virus patients have recovered

BDHAKA, Bangladesh

The number of coronavirus infections and death toll is climbing in Bangladesh – but so is its recovery rate. More than 50% of all patients have regained health since the virus was first reported in the country earlier this year, authorities said on Sunday.

The number of recoveries stand at 93,614 with 5,580 additions in the past 24 hours, latest figures by the Health Ministry show.

As many as 2,666 more people tested positive, while 47 succumbed to the virus, taking the caseload to 183,795 including 2,352 deaths.

Some 11,059 samples were tested in 77 labs across the country in the said period, bringing the total number of tests conducted to 940,524 in the country of 165 million.

Virus in armed forces

Meanwhile, at least 6,205 active and retired armed forces personnel in Bangladesh have contracted the novel virus to date, the country's military announced.

The virus-linked death toll among armed services stands at 78, the Inter Service Public Relations, the military's media wing, said in a statement.

Of the total, 508 cases including 12 deaths, were registered in the past week alone.

Some 4,675 or 75% of those infected, however, have recovered.

Authorities lifted a two-month countrywide lockdown on June 1 to restart economic activity, and have now divided areas into three zones – red for high risk, yellow for medium, and white for no risk. But educational institutes still remain closed.