DHAKA, – Bangladesh recorded 18 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) deaths and 1,159 fresh cases overnight. The recovery count rose to 5,11,695 after another 1,385 patients were discharged from the hospitals during the period, a press release of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said today. “Eighteen more COVID-19 patients died in the last 24 hours, increasing the death toll from the pandemic to 8,545,” the release said.

It said the tally of infections has surged to 5,57,395 as 1,159 new cases were confirmed in the last 24 hours. A total of 16,206 samples were tested at 219 authorized laboratories across the country during the time. Of the total sample tests in the past 24 hours, 7.15 percent tested positive, while 13.07 percent cases were detected from the total tests conducted so far, the release added.

Among the total infections, 91.80 percent patients have recovered, while 1.53 percent died so far since the first COVID-19 positive cases were reported in the country on March 8. Among the 18 deaths, twelve are male and six female, the press release said, adding one is between 11 to 20 years, five are in their 50s while 12 are above 60 years.

According to the division-wise data, ten deaths took place in Dhaka Division. Among the total 8,545 fatalities, 4,789 deaths occurred in Dhaka division, 1,579 in Chattogram division, 483 in Rajshahi division, 563 in Khulna division, 259 in Barishal division, 311 in Sylhet division, 364 in Rangpur division and 197 in Mymensingh division, according to the press release. A total of 42,64,551 samples have so far been tested since the detection of the first COVID-19 cases in the country.

The DGHS said in order to make treatment facilities easily available for the COVID-19 patients, the government has introduced telemedicine services comprising 100 physicians for round the clock in the country.

It added that 2,38,72,098 people received healthcare services from hotline mobile numbers and health web portals as the government formed a group of medical professionals to provide emergency healthcare services. To receive information and treatment facilities on COVID-19, the contact hotline and mobile numbers are 16263; 333; 10655 and 01944333222.

As of March 14, 2021, 11:14 GMT, 2,661,275 people have died so far from the COVID-19 outbreak and there are currently 120,143,989 confirmed cases in 212 countries and territories, according to Worldometer, a reference website that provides counters and real-time statistics for diverse topics. China was the world’s first country which on January 11, 2020 reported the first death from the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, the capital of Central China’s Hubei province.