Rajshahi hospital reports 12 new COVID deaths

Another 12 patients have died from the coronavirus illness at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital's COVID-19 unit in the 24 hours to 6am Friday.

Five others died while displaying symptoms consistent with the disease, according to the hospital's Director Brig Gen Shameem Yazdany. Among those who tested positive for COVID-19, 10 were from Rajshahi district and three from Chapainawabganj.

The hospital admitted 76 patients to its COVID unit in the past 24 hours, said Yaznany. At the same time, 55 people were discharged after recovering from the disease.

As of 6 am on Friday, the hospital unit was caring for 468 patients with only 405 beds. Eighteen others are in intensive case.

The positivity rate for COVID-19 tests is once again on the rise in Rajshahi. On Thursday, the coronavirus infection was detected in 198 of 469 samples tested in two labs in the district, returning a positivity rate of 42.40 percent, up from 39.90 percent the day before.

According to Yazdany, 553 samples from three districts were tested in two separate labs at RMCH on Thursday, with 221 coming back positive for COVID-19.

Apart from Rajshahi district, 23 Chapainawabganj residents tested positive for the disease.

Rajshahi has emerged as a COVID-19 hotspot as cases and deaths from the disease began to spiral after Eid-ul-Fitr. The Rajshahi City Corporation imposed lockdown restrictions in the area on Jun 11 after the positivity rate for COVID tests crossed 60 percent.