More than half a billion people globally were pushed into extreme poverty last year as they paid for health costs out of their own pockets during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization and the World Bank said yesterday.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque yesterday said that there was no reason to be worried about the Omicron variant of the coronavirus as there was no evident transmission from the two infected cricketers in the country.

Norway, Sweden and Switzerland have donated over 1.2 million Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines to Bangladesh under the global Covax facility.

Six people died from Covid-19 in 24 hours till 8:00 am today, according to a press release issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Thirty-one dengue patients were hospitalised in 24 hours till 8:00 am today, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

There is no evidence that the Omicron variant of Covid-19 has been transmitted to others from the two infected cricketers of Bangladesh National Team, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said today.

As the omicron variant sweeps through South Africa, Dr Unben Pillay is seeing dozens of sick patients a day. Yet he hasn’t had to send anyone to the hospital.

Two players of Bangladesh women’s national cricket team, who tested positive for Covid-19 last week, were infected with the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

The variant of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529, termed Omicron, was labelled a variant of concern by World Health Organisation (WHO) on November 26, 2021. The number of people testing positive has risen in areas of South Africa affected by this variant. Scientists in and outside of South Africa are carrying out several research projects to comprehend Omicron better.

Five people died from Covid-19 in 24 hours till 8am today, said a press release issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Bangladesh today detected its first cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in two female cricketers of the Bangladesh Cricket Team.

At least 23 dengue patients were hospitalised in the last 24 hours till 8:00am yesterday. Of them, eight are from outside the capital, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

At least 23 dengue patients were hospitalised in 24 hours till 8:00 am today, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

One person died of Covid-19 in 24 hours till 8am today, said a press release issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Work to start administering booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines to people aged 60 years and above is in full swing, with the rollout expected by early January.

One more dengue patient died and 31 were hospitalised in 24 hours, till 8:00am today, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

No Covid-19 death was reported in 24 hours (till 8am today), according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

China's drug authority has granted emergency approval for the country's first specialised treatment against Covid-19, found in clinical trials to significantly reduce hospitalisations and deaths among high-risk patients.

BioNTech and Pfizer (PFE.N) said on Wednesday a three-shot course of their COVID-19 vaccine was able to neutralise the new Omicron variant in a laboratory test and said they could deliver an upgraded vaccine in March 2022 if needed.

At least 60 dengue patients were hospitalised in the last 24 hours, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).