AMN/ WEB DESK
Bangladesh has sufficient stock of oxygen for both general and Covid 19 patients in the country. Speaking during a function in Dhaka, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque said that the country currently needs 60-70 tonnes of oxygen and at the peak of the second wave it needed 210 tonnes. Currently, Bangladesh has an oxygen production capacity of 220-230 tonnes. It also has about 900 tons in storage apart from a stock of 450 tonnes with the government hospitals.
About the supply of the COVID 19 vaccines, the Minister said that talks with Russia for the vaccine are in the final stages. China is also expected to deliver 5 lac doses of vaccines by May 12.
Foreign Minister Dr. A K Abdul Momen said that Bangladesh has sought 4 million doses of the COVID 19 vaccine from the US on an urgent basis as the US plans to share up to 60 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine with other countries.
Bangladesh reported 41 deaths and 1822 fresh Corona Positive cases in Bangladesh on Thursday. This is the lowest number of deaths in a single day in over 5 weeks. The sample positivity rate has also declined to 8.44 percent marking a significant drop from over 23 percent on April 16.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh handed over the 10,000 vials of the Remdisivir injection to India on Thursday at the Indian border port of Petrapole. According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the injections manufactured by the Bangladeshi company BEXIMCO Pharmaceuticals along with other health protective items is the first consignment of medical assistance at the time of COVID crisis in India.