Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) late last year quietly shut down the only plant making usable batches of its COVID-19 vaccine, the New York Times reported, citing people familiar with the decision.

At least 43 Covid-19 patients died in 24 hours preceding 8:30am yesterday, the highest single-day death toll since the third wave of the virus hit the country early last month.

The United States today donated additional six million doses of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine to Bangladesh via Covax, bringing the total US vaccine contribution to over 45 million free doses, with millions more scheduled to arrive over the coming months.

Scientists are investigating why some people do not seem to get infected with Covid-19 despite staying in close proximity with those who got infected, CNBC reported.

At least 8,354 new infections were recorded and 43 people died from Covid-19 in 24 hours till 8:00 am today, said a press release issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

At least 38 Covid-19 patients died in the 24 hours till 8:30am yesterday -- the highest single-day death toll since September 19 last year.

The Drug Controller General of India has given its nod to Serum Institute of India's proposal to manufacture vaccine against the fast-transmissible Omicron variant of Covid-19, for examination test and analysis, official sources said today.

A scientist at Oxford University, who worked on the development of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, has criticised scientists and politicians, especially decision-makers in the European Union, for damaging the reputation of the jab that “probably killed hundreds of thousands of people”, reports BBC.

At least 9,369 new infections were recorded and 38 people died from Covid-19 in 24 hours till 8:00 am today, said a press release issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

All citizens of the country will get two doses of vaccine and the booster dose against Covid-19 by December as per target, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said today.

Number Omicron cases, of Covid-19, has jumped to 187 in Bangladesh with the detection of 81 new infections till today, according to GISAID, a primary source that provides open access to genomic data of coronavirus.

Bangladesh is closing in on the milestone of vaccinating 10 crore people with the first Covid-19 dose despite facing many a challenge.

China and the World Health Organization have discussed the need for “stronger collaboration” on tracing the origins of Covid-19, amid tensions over the WHO’s plans to further investigate the theory that the virus could have leaked from a Wuhan lab.

The government has started administering Covid-19 vaccine to the floating population at Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka from tonight.

At least 8,345 new infections were recorded and 29 people died from Covid-19 in 24 hours till 8:00 am today, said a press release issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

The health directorate started a special drive to inoculate Qawmi madrasa students with Covid-19 vaccines today.

The Covid-19 pandemic started to ease around the world this week after a three-and-a-half-month rampage of ever-increasing infections, AFP data published yesterday showed.

The daily death toll from Covid-19 rose again yesterday as the health directorate reported 36 deaths in 24 hours till 8:00am, up from 30 the previous day.

Speakers at a scientific seminar today said Pfizer’s new anti-Covid drug “Paxlovid” will be a game changer in the treatment of Covid-19 patients with mild to moderate symptoms as it reduces the risks of hospitalisation and death by around 89 percent.

The following is a summary of some recent studies on Covid-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by peer review.