Bangladesh reports 219 new COVID-19 cases as death toll reaches 50

The death toll from the novel coronavirus in Bangladesh has reached 50, a grim milestone, after four more fatalities were recorded in the last 24 hours.

Another 219 new infections were detected in the same period, taking the tally of positive tests to 1,231, said Health Minister Zahid Malik on Wednesday.  
Another seven patients have recovered and gone home in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 49, said Zahid.

The health minister also expressed his condolences over the death of Sylhet Medical College's Dr Md Moinuddin, who became the first physician to succumb to the disease in Bangladesh.

Moinuddin, an assistant professor of the medical college's medicine department, passed away at Dhaka's Kurmitola General Hospital on Wednesday.