Bangladesh government’s Covid-19 mass vaccination drive reached the Rangamati hills today, all thanks to the local administration and the Bangladeshi armed forces.

Guinea confirmed a case of Marburg disease, the World Health Organization said on Monday, the first recorded in West Africa of the lethal virus that's related to Ebola and, like Covid-19, passed from animal hosts to humans.

Under the COVAX programme, 1.7 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine have departed Beijing at 5:25 am (local time) and will reach Dhaka this morning. 

The government is not likely to launch the planned special vaccination programme from August 14 as inadequate vaccine doses mire the current inoculation drive against Covid-19.

While people all over the country have been waiting in line for hours to get Covid-19 jabs during the mass vaccination campaign, which began three days ago, many in the port city have been found getting the facilities illegally at their homes.

There is a shortage of vaccines, centres are being provided with only a limited number of doses, and many people are waiting in line but returning unvaccinated.

Another black fungus (Mucormycosis) patient has been identified in Chattogram and is being treated at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) since Friday.

The “strict lockdown” is set to end tomorrow. However, judging by the significant rise in public and vehicular movement in the capital yesterday, one could say it has already been lifted.

The health directorate reported 245 deaths and 11,463 cases of Covid-19 in 24 hours ending at 8:00am yesterday.

An article, authored by Parsa Erfani, Agnes Binagwaho, Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, Muhammad Yunus, Paul Farmer, and Vanessa Kerry, has been published in the British Medical Journal.

Two hundred and forty-five people died from Covid-19 in 24 hours till 8am today, said a press release of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

At least 218 people with dengue fever were admitted to hospitals across the country in 24 hours till 8 am today, of which only 29 are from outside Dhaka.

Huge number of vehicles, except public transport, were seen on Dhaka streets today -- two days before the government-enforced lockdown ends.

Covid-19 vaccination campaign for Rohingyas in the refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar will begin tomorrow, reports our local correspondent quoting the district’s civil surgeon.

Abul Mansur Chowdhury, former chief assistant editor of The Daily Star died of Covid-19 early today at the age of 66.

Another black fungus (Mucormycosis) patient has been identified in Chattogram and is being treated at the Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) since August 6.

More than 30 Chinese officials have been fired or received other punishments over accusations they failed to respond properly to the latest surge of the coronavirus in the country.

Seventeen people died while being treated at the Covid unit of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital in 24 hours till 8am today.

The United States has announced an additional $11.4 million in urgent Covid-19 assistance for Bangladesh.

The government has politicised the mass vaccination programme by deceiving people, alleged BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday.