Global Covid death toll crosses 6 million, cases 447m

Covid-19 test

Dhaka, Mar 8 -- The global death toll from Covid-19 has now crossed six million, with the pandemic entering into its third year. 

According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 447,602,602 while the death toll from the virus reached 6,006,508 Tuesday morning. 

Despite vaccine availability, the United States is nearing one million reported deaths on its own, the biggest official death toll in the world, reports AP. 

The US has recorded 79,337,559 cases so far and 960,269 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows. 

India's Covid-19 tally rose to 42,970,454 on Monday as 4,362 new cases were registered in 24 hours across the country, as per the federal health ministry data.

Besides, 108 deaths due to the pandemic since Sunday morning took the total death toll to 515,241. 

Meanwhile, Brazil, which has been experiencing a new wave of cases since January last year, registered 29,077,831 cases as of Tuesday, while its Covid death toll rose to 652,648. 

Global vaccine disparity continues, with only 6.95% of people in low-income countries fully vaccinated, compared to more than 73% in high-income nations, according to Our World in Data. 

Situation in Bangladesh 

Bangladesh reported four more Covid-linked deaths with 436 fresh cases in 24 hours till Monday morning, health authorities said.

The daily positivity rate slightly decreased to 2.18 per cent from Sunday’s 2.63 per after testing 20,009 samples during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). 

On Sunday, Bangladesh reported eight Covid-linked deaths with 529 fresh cases. 

The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 29,089 and the caseload to 19,47,702. 

Of the 52 deaths recorded from February 28 to March 6, some 40.4 per cent received Covid vaccines while 59.6 per cent did not, the DGHS said. 

Among the new deceased, three were men and one was a woman. 

Three of the deaths were reported from Dhaka division while one from Sylhet division. 

Meanwhile, the mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.49 per cent. 

However, the recovery rate rose to 94.82 per cent with the recovery of 3,546 more patients during the 24-hour period. - UNB