The United States hit a six-month high for new COVID cases with over 100,000 infections reported on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as the Delta variant ravages areas where people did not get vaccinated.

The last-minute retreat regarding the special vaccination drive has exposed the lack of coordination and planning on the government’s part, experts said.

The Barishal division  has seen the highest number of deaths and infections in the last 24 hours till yesterday morning.

Bangladesh has urged Italy to waive its present restrictive measures at least for the stranded Bangladeshi expatriates who have fully vaccinated and allow them enter the European country.

Civil society groups and private sector leaders from home and abroad yesterday called for lifting the restrictions set in the WTO’s Trade-Related Intellectual Property (TRIP) rights and declaring Covid vaccine as public goods to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The number of Covid-19 infections recorded worldwide passed 200 million yesterday, an AFP count showed, as Germany, France and Israel said they will go ahead with plans to administer vaccine boosters, disregarding an appeal by the World Health Organisation to hold off until more people are vaccinated around the world. 

Lack of instructions from government high-ups and coordination between different government bodies has left in a shambles the move to ensure community engagement in the fight against Covid-19.

The country yesterday recorded the highest number of Covid-19 deaths in a single day.

The highly contagious Delta variant has been found in 98 percent of the Covid-19 samples tested by BSMMU as part of a survey.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday said China will strive to provide 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to other countries in 2021, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

Germany, France and Israel will go ahead with plans to administer COVID-19 vaccine boosters, disregarding an appeal by the World Health Organisation to hold off until more people are vaccinated around the world.

Moderna said Thursday that protection from its Covid-19 vaccine remained strong for at least six months, and the variant-specific boosters shot it is testing generated a "robust" antibody response to Delta.

Thirty ambulances from India, which have been gifted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are on their way to Bangladesh.

Bangladesh will receive another consignment of 34 lakh doses of Sinopharm vaccine next week, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said today.

Civil society groups and private sector leaders from home and abroad have called for lifting the restrictions set in the WTO’s Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights and declaring Covid-19 vaccine as public good to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

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

French President Emmanuel Macron said on his Instagram account on Thursday that it was likely that the elderly and vulnerable would need a third Covid-19 vaccine shot, and that France was working on rolling these out from September onwards.

Around 98 percent Covid patients of the country have been infected with the highly transmissible Delta variant, according to a report of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).

Two staff nurses were withdrawn from the vaccination centre of Pabna General Hospital this morning, for allegedly pushing an empty syringe in the arm of a medical student yesterday.

Nine people died of Covid-19 and two with Covid-like symptoms in Kushtia in 24 hours till 8am today.