9 more coronavirus patients die, 309 test positive in 24hrs: DGHS

Nine people died of coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, DGHS said today.

The death toll now stands at 140, said Prof Dr Nasima Sultana, additional director general (administration) of Directorate General of Health Services during a briefing.

Three hundred and nine have tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours.

With this, the total number of infected has reached 4,998.

A total of 3,337 samples were tested in 23 PCR labs across the country since yesterday, she added.

Among the nine deceased, five were female. Three were from Dhaka.

Seven of them were over 70 years old, one was above 60 and another was aged between 51-60, Dr Nasima added.

About reports in several media regarding scarcity of oxygen cylinders in hospitals, the DGHS official said that the information is not correct.

"There is no shortage of oxygen cylinders in dedicated [for Covid-19 treatment] hospitals and isolation units," she said adding that the information published in various media is old and outdated.

In fact, there are enough oxygen cylinders in all hospitals in the country including those in upazila level, she claimed.