Omicron does not appear to cause more severe disease than previous Covid variants and is "highly unlikely" to fully dodge vaccine protections, a top WHO official told AFP Tuesday.

Up to one million Covid-19 vaccines are estimated to have expired in Nigeria last month without being used, two sources told Reuters, one of the biggest single losses of doses that shows the difficulty African nations have getting shots in arms.

Western countries’ monopolistic control over the invention, production and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines will prolong the pandemic, said speakers at a discussion yesterday.

Two more dengue patients died in the last 24 hours till 8:00am yesterday.

Malaysia today provided more than half a million AstraZeneca vaccines to Bangladesh as a gesture of solidarity and support in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic.

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

Two more dengue patients died in 24 hours till 8:00am today, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Covid treatments using plasma taken from the blood of recovered coronavirus patients should not be given to people with mild or moderate illness, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.

At least 56 dengue patients were hospitalised in the last 24 hours till 8:00am yesterday, of whom 13 are from outside Dhaka, according to DGHS. The total number of dengue cases rose to 27,660. Of the total infected, 4,405 are from outside Dhaka.

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

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

Thailand has detected its first case of the Omicron coronavirus variant in a US citizen who had travelled to the country from Spain late last month, a health official said today.

US health officials said Sunday that while the omicron variant of the coronavirus is rapidly spreading throughout the country, early indications suggest it may be less dangerous than delta, which continues to drive a surge of hospitalizations.

The government has no plan to seal off borders or slap lockdown to prevent Omicron variant, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said yesterday.

At least 68 dengue patients were hospitalised in the last 24 hours yesterday, of whom 21 are from outside Dhaka, according to DGHS.

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

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

Health Minister Zahid Maleque today said that all necessary preparations have been made to deal with the new Covid-19 variant, Omicron.

Australia's medicine regulator on Sunday provisionally approved the Pfizer Inc coronavirus vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11, with the health minister saying the rollout could begin from January 10.

The government is yet to take any effective measures to prevent a possible surge in Covid-19 cases as per recommendations made by the National Technical Advisory Committee.