Authorities have decided to enforce a week-long lockdown in Natore and Singra municipality areas starting Wednesday to contain the spread of Covid-19.
Natore Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Shahriaz took the decision on Monday night during a virtual meeting, which was attended by State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak.
The lockdown will continue till June 15, officials said.
During the week-long lockdown, all modes of public transport will stay off the roads. However, the movement restrictions will not apply on vehicles providing emergency services.
Moreover, all shops, markets and restaurants will remain closed, except for grocery stores and pharmacies. This is to allow people to buy their daily essentials and medicines from their local grocers and chemists, respectively.
According to the health authorities, the infection rate in the district is 62% and the number of Covid-19 cases is on the rise in the municipality areas.
On Monday, the local administration launched a mobile antigen test drive to detect the community-based infection.
The health authorities have also set up Covid test booths, said Civil Surgeon Kazi Mizanur Rahman.
Amid the rising infections in frontier districts, Bangladesh reported 1,970 new Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours between 8am Sunday and 8am Monday, taking the total to 812,960.
The deadly virus also claimed 30 more lives during the period, pushing up the death toll to 12,869.
The positivity rate also increased to 11.47% on Monday from Sunday's 10.73%, while the mortality rate remained static at 1.58%, according to the health directorate.
