A record 18 people died in the 24-hour period to 6:00am on Thursday at the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital’s coronavirus unit.
Eight of them tested positive for the disease, while the others were showing symptoms consistent with it, said RMCH Director Brig Gen Shameem Yazdany. Thirteen of them were from Rajshahi, one from Chapainawabganj and four from Naogaon. Four of them were in the ICU.
Ten of the dead were men, while eight were women. Six were over the age of 61, five between 51 and 60, three between 41 and 50 and four between 31 and 40.
A total of 260 people died at the hospital’s coronavirus unit from the start of June to 6 am on Thursday, said Shameem Yazdany.
Fifty-eight more patients were admitted to the hospital in the past 24 hours. Thirty-three were from Rajshahi and 10 were from Chapainwabganj. Forty-three people left the hospital after recovering from the disease in the same period.
As of 6 am on Thursday, the hospital coronavirus unit was caring for 404 patients with 357 beds. The excess patients are using makeshift beds on the floor or on the hospital’s verandah.
Of these patients, 272 are from Rajshahi, 59 are from Chapainawabganj, 26 from Natore, 32 from Naogaon and 10 from Pabna. Eighteen are admitted to the ICU.
The positivity rate among coronavirus tests conducted at the hospital in the past 24 hours has increased slightly and stands at 33.95 percent, Yazdany said.
A week-long lockdown was declared in Rajshahi City from Jun 11. It was extended by another week and was to end on Thursday, but the high number of new cases and deaths has forced another extension to the lockdown.
The lockdown will now continue until Jun 30, Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner Abdul Jalil announced at a press conference on Wednesday, reports bdnews24.com.