DHAKA: Bangladesh on Saturday reported zero deaths in the past 24 hours for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic last year, a senior official said.
The achievement came as constant efforts were being made by the Bangladesh authorities to contain the fatalities due to the contagious coronavirus that has so far claimed the lives of 27,946 people and infected over 1.5 million others till now.
"I am happy to inform you that no death was reported from coronavirus in the past 24 hours. 178 people were diagnosed with COVID-19 during the time," a health ministry spokesman told newsmen.
Bangladesh's health authorities reported the first COVID-19 death on April 3 last year.
Professor Nazmul Islam, the spokesman for Directorate of health Services (DGHS), said it was a "great relief" for the country that the infection cases came down but it remained a matter of observation if the death rate remained zero.
According to DGHS, the virus has so far killed 27,946 people and infected over 1.5 million others while the death rate now stands at 1.78 against 100 infected people.
The DGHS said 1.18 per cent COVID-19 positive cases were reported in the past 24 hours as 15,107 samples were tested.
It said from the beginning of the pandemic, 97.72 per cent COVID-19 patients recovered while 1.78 per cent died.