The number of COVID-19 cases in Bangladesh hit a record daily high since its outbreak with 16,230 new infections being reported in a span of 24 hours, pushing the nationwide coronavirus cases tally to 12,10,982 so far.

“The death toll from the lethal virus climbed to 20,016 with 237 new fatalities, the third highest number of deaths in a single day,” Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said in its routine daily statement .

An analysis of the official data suggests that 6,054 out of 16,230 COVID-19 positive cases were detected in Dhaka city alone in the past 24 hours, while the virus claimed 37 out of 237 lives in the capital during the same period.

It said 30.12 percent of the 53,877 samples collected in 24 hours were tested positive while the infection rate was only 2.30 percent just on February 8 this year as during the late winter season, the rate started decreasing sharply.

The recovery count rose to 10,35,884 after another 13,470 patients were discharged from the hospitals during the past one day.

The DGHS statistics showed of the people infected from the beginning, 85.54 percent recovered, while 1.65 percent died.

It said among the total 20,016 fatalities, 9,273 deaths occurred in Dhaka division, 3,696 in Chattogram, 1,548 in Rajshahi, 2,645 in Khulna, 621 in Barishal, 722 in Sylhet, 989 in Rangpur and 522 in Mymensingh division.

The DGHS said Bangladesh’s COVID-19 confirmed cases crossed 5,000 mark on March 29 and 6,000 mark on April 1, 2021, 7,000 mark on April 4, 2021, 8,000 mark on June 24, 2021, 9,000 mark on July 5 and 11,000 mark on July 6 last.

According to month-wise statistics last year, 51 COVID-19 positive cases were detected in March 2020, 7616 in April, 39,486 in May, 98,330 in June, 92,178 in July, 75,335 in August, 50,483 in September, 44, 205 in October, 57,248 in November and 48,578 in December.

The beginning of the current year witnessed a drastic drop of coronavirus cases in the country, but the trend lasted for only two months — 21,629 cases were detected in January and 11,077 in February.

After the drastic fall of COVID-19 confirmed cases, the country witnessed sharp increase of infection as 65,079 cases were reported in March and 1,47,837 cases in April.

The country again saw a fall in May, 2021 as it recorded 41,408 cases. From the start of June, 2021, the country recorded a sharp rise with 1,12,718 cases, the DGHS said.