Faced with limited resources in research against infectious diseases like Covid-19, Bangladesh has decided to join Seoul-based International Vaccine Institute to build the capacity to produce vaccines locally.

The health directorate reported the second highest daily deaths of 226 from Covid-19 yesterday, which was the first day of withdrawing the “strict lockdown” for a week.

Thousands of people left Dhaka yesterday on buses, trains and launches as the government relaxed the “strict lockdown” ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, which has raised fears of an increase in Covid-19 transmission.

Indonesia is now fighting a “worst-case scenario” epidemic, a senior minister said yesterday, adding the government was preparing for a further spike in coronavirus cases as the more virulent Delta variant spreads.

With an aim to encourage city dwellers to take vaccines to prevent Covid-19, Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) set up a vaccine registration booth for people from all walks of life yesterday.

With the number of Covid-19 patients in Chattogram increasing every day, almost all Covid-dedicated beds at hospitals are occupied. According to health experts, the ongoing trend indicates that the infection rate in the district may peak in some days. 

Large crowds were seen at different places in Khulna city, right after the lockdown was relaxed. Gatherings were especially visible at clothing, cattle and wholesale markets yesterday.

Eid shoppers started crowding the markets and malls in Rajshahi city yesterday, as soon as the one and half-month lockdown to control spread of coronavirus was relaxed.

As soon as the “strict lockdown” eased for a week, Dhaka returned to its old self, with heavy traffic and bustling crowds on streets, and markets packed with shoppers ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

Dozens of patients were whisked off Tangail General Hospital by their panic-stricken relatives yesterday after a fire broke out at the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar gave no assurance about resuming vaccine supply to Bangladesh anytime soon at a meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart AK Abdul Momen in Uzbekistan yesterday.

The head of the World Health Organisation said on Thursday that investigations into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic in China were being hampered by the lack of raw data on the first days of spread there and urged it to be more transparent.

Bangladesh is to start giving coronavirus vaccinations to some of the Rohingya refugees who fled across the border from Myanmar, officials said Thursday.

Eighty-one dengue patients have been hospitalised in the country in 24 hours till 8 am today.

Indonesia is now fighting a "worst-case scenario" epidemic, a senior minister said on Thursday, adding the government was preparing for a further spike in coronavirus cases as the more virulent Delta variant spreads.

Malaysia's health ministry on Thursday said the country will stop administering the COVID-19 vaccine produced by China's Sinovac (SVA.O) once its supplies end, as it has a sufficient number of other vaccines for its programme.

Two hundred and twenty-six people have died from Covid-19 in 24 hours (till 8am today). The daily positivity rate during this period stood at 27.23 percent, according to a press release issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development has requested the Health Ministry to prioritise Covid-19 vaccines for local government representatives.

Pfizer on Thursday said it was only in talks with the Thai government, after a Thai hospital group said it was signing a deal for 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

The health system will break down if Covid-19 transmission goes beyond control, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said today.