BSS, Rajshahi :
A number of 22 more people, including ten women, died at Covid-19 unit of Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) during the last 24 hours till 6 am today, taking the death toll to 374 since May 31.
RMCH Director Brig Gen Shamim Yazdani told journalists that 14 of those were the residents of Rajshahi, five from Naogaon and one each from Chapainawabganj and Natore districts.
Of the deaths, three were aged between 21 to 30, two were 31 to 40, four were 41 to 50, four were 51 to 60 and nine were above 61.
Among the deaths, five tested Covid-19 positive and the rest 17 were suffering from its symptoms, he added.
Yazdani said the hospital had counted a record number of 25 fatalities caused by Covid-19 on Tuesday since the pandemic began.
Meanwhile, 66 more patients, including 47 from Rajshahi, seven from Chapainawabganj, four each from Naogaon and Natore, two from Joypurhat and one each from Pabna and Kushtia districts, were admitted to the designated ward of the hospital during the time, taking its number to 462.
“We have 405 beds in the Corona dedicated wards of the hospital,” Yazdani added.
He said an additional 48-bed corona ward with central oxygen supply system has been launched in the hospital recently to cope with the extra pressure.
Brig Yazdani opined that over 60 percent of the new Covid-19 patients admitted to the Covid unit of RMCH are from villages, clarifying that awareness among the villagers is less compared to the urban people.
Despite symptoms they hesitate to go for tests. “Only they are coming to the hospital when they feel worse. Then we have nothing to do for them, they are dying,” he added.
He said utmost attention should be given to the villages in addition to the urban area as the fatality rate among the villagers is more and the grave situation is aggravating day-by-day there.
Apart from the administration and health workers, public representatives, political activists and volunteers should come forward and work together. Otherwise, the situation may be furthermore alarming, he mentioned.
