The number of COVID-19 deaths jumped to 39 in the 24 hours till 8:00am Tuesday, notching the highest number of deaths in a single day in the past 57 days.
The test positivity rate also went up in the past 24 hours, to 13.83 per cent, from 13.57 per cent in the previous 24 hours, with the detection of 2,212 new coronavirus cases.
Experts said that the rises might be an indication of the second wave of infections in the country.
The number of cases in the 24-hour period was also the highest in the past 76 days, according to the Directorate General of Health Services.
The DGHS in its daily update on Tuesday said that 15,990 samples were tested across the country in the period, of which 2,212 were found COVID-19 positive.
The positivity rate remained above 13 per cent in the ongoing 37th week of the outbreak since the country recorded its first cases of COVID-19 on March 8.
With the new numbers, the country’s COVID-19 cases rose to 4,36,684 and the death toll hit 6,254.
Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research principal scientific officer ASM Alamgir said that they were observing the situation.
‘It might be an indication of the second wave of infections, but we want to observe for a few more days,’ he said.
‘The winter is obviously a threat, but complying with the health rules, particularly wearing mask, should be stressed,’ he added.
As per the DGHS record, the last daily deaths above those of Tuesday was on September 21, when 40 patients died.
As for detected patients, the previous highest was recorded on September 2, with the detection of 2,580 cases.
Former DGHS disease control director Be-Nazir Ahmed said that it was ‘obviously an indication of increased transmission.’
‘We are afraid that the number of cases will rise in the coming days as the winter is approaching,’ he said.
‘The survival duration of the virus will increase in the winter, and we are still in a vicious cycle of community transmission,’ he added.
Experts and the government in recent weeks cautioned against a second wave of infections in the country in the winter as experienced in Western countries.
The government on Monday ordered operations of mobile courts in Dhaka and other places to ensure the mandatory use of mask in all public places, including markets, transports and offices, in a bid to check further spread of the novel virus.
‘As the second wave of COVID-19 infections is feared during the winter, the prime minister has once again asked all concerned to take strict precautionary measures,’ cabinet secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam told a press conference at the Secretariat after the weekly cabinet meeting on Monday, presided by the prime minister.
