DHAKA, Bangladesh

Bangladesh has decided to impose a zone-coded lockdown across the country amid a rise in cases of the novel coronavirus, which has claimed 1,171 lives and infected 87,520 people in the South Asian nation.

As many as 3,141 new cases were recorded, while 32 succumbed to the disease in the past 24 hours, Nasima Sultana, a director at the health ministry, told an online news conference on Sunday.

Some 903 patients also made recovery during the said period, taking the tally to 18,730, she added.

Farhad Hossain, state minister of public administration, said his government has completed the necessary work to incorporate a gradual, color-coded zone-based lockdown to stop the infection chain.

Red will be high-risk zones, yellow moderate, and green low risk.

Infections surged when the government lifted over two-month virus lockdown on May 31 to allow economic activity.

“The civil surgeons in the respective areas will recommend a lockdown [for red zones] and will impose accordingly with permission from the Health Ministry and the local administration,” he said, adding: “our aim is to find and seal small areas with high infection and help people get cured.”

There will be a ‘general holiday’ and curfew in red zones, and government will provide all necessary support, including food, safety and medical care, Hossain added.

Meanwhile, over 3,164 health workers have been infected, and 31 have died of COVID-19 thus far, according to Bangladesh Medical Association.

As many as 7,314 police personnel have also contracted the virus, while 24 passed away.