Month: July 2021

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Thursday he’ll push to further upgrade relations with China, his main ally, as he struggles to navigate his country out of a deepening crisis linked to the pandemic.

Kim made the comments in a message to Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulating him on the 100th founding anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

“The Workers’ Party of Korea, by its firm unity with the Chinese Communist Party, would raise (North Korea)-China friendship to a new strategic point as required by the times and as desired by the peoples of the two countries,” Kim was quoted as saying.

In an apparent reference to the United States, Kim said that “hostile forces’ vicious slander and all-round pressure upon the Chinese Communist Party are no more than a last-ditch attempt and they can never check the ongoing advance of the Chinese people,” according to KCNA.

Kim’s message came a day after state media said he had told a powerful Politburo meeting that a “crucial” lapse in the anti-virus campaign has caused a “great crisis.” He did not elaborate, but there was speculation that Kim may have aimed to raise a call for international assistance, including vaccine shipments.

North Korea maintains some of the world’s toughest anti-virus measures, including 1 ½ years of border shutdowns, despite its much questionable claim to be coronavirus free. Such draconian steps have devastated its already struggling economy, and Kim has said before his country faces the “worst-ever” situation. It’s unclear when North Korea would reopen its border with China, and so far, there are no reports that it has received any vaccines.

More than 90% of North Korea’s trade goes through China, which has long been suspected of refusing to fully implement U.N. sanctions against North Korea imposed over its nuclear weapons programs. Experts say China worries about a collapse and chaos in North Korea because it doesn’t want refugees flooding over the long border and a pro-U.S., unified Korea on its doorstep.

On Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin held out the possibility of sending assistance to North Korea.

“China and the DPRK have a long tradition of helping each other when they encounter difficulties,” Wang said, referring to the North by the initials of its official name. “If necessary, China will actively consider providing assistance to the DPRK.”

Source: United News of Bangladesh

With the Delta variant of Covid-19 playing havoc, Bangladesh on Thursday reported the highest-ever 143 deaths in 24 hours till Thursday morning.

This is the highest single-day deaths in Bangladesh since the detection of its first Covid cases here on March 8, last year.

The country also recorded 8,301 more cases during the period.

The positivity rate of caseload rose to 25.90% during the period from Wednesday’s 25.13% after the test of 32,055 samples, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

However, the fatality rate remained static at 1.59%.

With the new numbers, the country’s death toll mounted to 14, 646 while the caseload stood at 921,559.

So far, 820, 913 patients recovered from the disease putting the recovery rate at 89.08%, following a continuous decline.

Barely four days back, on June 27, Bangladesh had seen a record 119 Covid deaths. The highest-ever 8,822 cases were also reported on Wednesday.

The country saw 2,404 Covid deaths in April, 1,169 in May and 1,884 in June marking the most fatal months of this year.

Also, July was the most fatal month of 2020, reporting 1,264 deaths followed by 1,197 deaths in June that year.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Twenty-two more patients have died of Covid-19 at Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) in the past 24 hours, officials said on Thursday.

Of them, five were confirmed Covid-19 patients while the remaining showed symptoms of the virus, said hospital Brigadier General Shamim Yeazdani.

Fourteen of the deceased hailed from Rajshahi, one each from Chapainawabganj and Natore and five from Naogaon districts, he added.

Sixty-six new patients have been admitted to the hospital in the past 24 hours and 46 discharged post-recovery.

Some 462 people are currently undergoing treatment at the hospital against 405 beds at the corona unit of the hospital, officials said.

However, the hospital authorities are providing treatment to all after arranging additional beds, said Shamim.

Earlier on June 29, Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) recorded 25 new Covid-related deaths in 24 hours, the highest single-day toll at the hospital.

The Covid-19 situation is worsening in the frontier district of Rajshahi by the day.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Business development consultant of Mount Adora Hospital Rashedul Islam said, all of the 9 ICU and 26 isolation beds of the hospital are currently occupied.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of NEMCH, Dr Shahriar Hossain Chowdhury said, “We’ve increased the number of ICU and isolation beds in the hospital in the wake of soaring number of Covid patients. And none of the facilities are available now”

The hospital had 12 Covid dedicated ICU beds and more than 30 general ICU beds.

Until Thursday Sylhet’s Covid death toll reached 478, while caseload stood at 25,981.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

As newer hot spots of Covid-19 emerged across the country, health authorities in Sylhet said Thursday that 520 more cases were reported in the last 48 hours, causing a shortage of beds in the district’s government and private hospitals.

Also the division is seeing a daily outbreak of over 200 Covid cases for the last three days, said the district health department.

As of Thursday morning, 7 more people died of Covid in the district while 199 reported contracting it in 24 hours.

ICU beds in the Sylhet hospitals also got fully occupied, raising a health service scare for the authorities.

Sylhet Shahid Shamsuddin Ahmed District Hospital, a Covid-19 dedicated hospital with 90-beds had to admit 91 patients as of Wednesday afternoon.

Besides, 15 patients are currently being treated in the hospital’s 19-bead Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Dr Shushant Kumara Mahapatra at the hospital said, “We are sending half recovered patients home to make space for newer patients but only severe Covid patients are getting ICU beds. “

As the number of patients with severe conditions increased, panicked family members were seen rushing from one hospital to another in search of available ICU beds.

Two wards of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital have been prepared to take off the pressure from the district hospital but it’s ICU beds also reached full capacity on Wednesday.

Deputy Director of the hospital Himangshu Lal Roy said,” Ward 26 and 27 have been kept prepared to admit patients with Covid19 symptoms. As the ICU beds are already occupied with patients, 10 more ICU beds are being prepared.”

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Notwithstanding mass inoculation across the world Covid-19 continues to spread, with the global corona caseload surging past the 182 million mark.

The total caseload and fatalities stand at 182,138,802 and 3,945,583, respectively, as of Thursday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University (JHU).

So far, 3,043,868,565 vaccine doses have been administered across the globe.

The US, which is the world’s worst-hit country in terms of both cases and deaths, has so far logged 33,665,047 cases, according to JHU.

Besides, 604,717 people have lost their lives in the US to date.

Brazil’s death toll reached 518,066 while the total caseload stood at 18,557, 141.

Brazil has the world’s second highest COVID-19 death toll, after the United States, and the third largest caseload, following the United States and India.

India’s COVID-19 tally rose to 30,362,848 on Wednesday, as 45,951 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours.

The death toll mounted to 398,454 as 817 deaths were recorded since Tuesday morning.

Situation in Bangladesh

Health authorities recorded 8,822 more Covid-19 cases in Bangladesh in 24 hours until Wednesday morning, the highest figure since the pandemic hit the country.

During the period, the country lost 115 more lives to Covid, raising the death toll to 14,503, said a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

The country’s daily positivity rate rose to 25.13 percent from Tuesday’s 23.57 percent.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Covid fatality rate remained static at 1.59 percent.

The new numbers pushed the country’s caseload to 9,13,258, said the DGHS handout.

Bangladesh has been seeing an alarming spike in Covid-19 deaths and cases that prompted the government to decide to enforce a strict lockdown from Thursday.

The government has issued a notification imposing restrictions on the movement of people and other activities for seven days from Thursday.

The Cabinet Division issued the notification on Wednesday which will remain in force from 6 am on July 1 till 12 am on July 7.

According to the gazette, all the government non-government, autonomous and private offices will remain closed during the period.

All modes of public transport, including those of road, river, railway and air, will remain suspended during the lockdown. All the shopping malls and markets will also remain closed.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Besides, 19 deaths in Rajshahi, 15 in Chattogram, 10 in Rangpur, eight in Barishal, seven in Sylhet and three in Mymensingh divisions were reported during the period.

Bangladesh enters total lockdown

The complete lockdown in Bangladesh came into effect on Thursday morning to mitigate the spread of Coronavirus, which will continue till July 7 midnight.

Army personnel started patrolling the streets of Dhaka and other parts across the country in aid of the civil administration as the government scrambles to bring the Covid-19 situation under control.

Police have set up barricades and check-posts at all important points to monitor the movement of vehicles as well as people.

Lockdown rules

All the government non-government, autonomous and private offices will remain closed during the lockdown period.

All modes of public transport, including those of road, river, railway and air, will remain suspended during the lockdown. All the shopping malls and markets will also remain closed.

All the tourist spots, resorts and community centres will remain closed while all kinds of public gatherings, including social programmes, birthday and picnic parties, political and religious events will remain suspended until further notice.

The offices, staffers and vehicles of the organisations providing emergency services, including law enforcement, agricultural products (fertilizer, seeds, pesticides, machinery), crops, food-laden vehicles, relief distribution, health services, health workers involved in mass inoculation, power, water, gas, fire services, port activities, media (print and electronic media), telephone, private security services, and bank, pharmacy and postal services will remain out of the purview of the restriction, and their staff and employees can move showing ID cards.

However, the restriction will not be applicable for carrying goods, emergency services and production. But the offices related to air, maritime and river and land ports will remain out of the preview of the lockdown.

Industries and factories will remain open subject to maintaining health protocols.

Kitchen markets and shops with daily essentials will remain open from 9 am to 5 pm, and customers can purchase their goods following health safety protocols. Local administrations and the authorities concerned will ensure it.

No one will be allowed to venture out except for certain emergency needs (to purchase medicines, daily essentials, to take medical services and burial/ cremation of dead bodies, taking Covid-19 jabs etc). Legal action will be taken against those who will violate the restrictions.

Hotels and restaurants can operate from 8 am to 8 pm with takeaway/online services only.

Those who need to take vaccines can move after showing vaccine cards.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Former fisheries and livestock Minister Narayan Chandra Chando and also Khulna-5 MP, was hospitalised Wednesday after testing positive.

He was admitted to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University at around 9am, Khulna District Awami League Joint Secretary Advocate Farid Ahmed told UNB.

Bangladesh’s Covid-19 situation is getting from bad to worse. It reported a record-high number of daily Covid-19 infections in the past 24 hours till Wednesday morning after confirming its first cases on March 8 last year.

The country, battling to get a second coronavirus wave under control, also reported more than 100 deaths for a fourth straight day.

The new 8,822 cases have pushed Bangladesh’s caseload to 913,258, and 115 more fatalities brought its toll to 14,503.

Source: United News of Bangladesh