Health Minister Zahid Maleque yesterday urged all to maintain health protocols as Covid cases in the country rose for the 12th consecutive day.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) reported 128 new cases yesterday. The number was 109 the previous day.

The test positivity rate, however, declined slightly yesterday. It stood at 1.91 percent after 6,668 samples were tested across the country. The previous day, the rate was 2.06 percent.

No death from the virus was reported yesterday.

"Covid has not yet been eradicated…  though the situation is normal now, it may take an alarming turn any time," said Zahid at the Secretariat, reports UNB.

"Everyone must follow the health rules and wear a mask," he said after a meeting on the automation of admission process at private medical and dental colleges.

Since June 2, the country has been a seeing a steady rise in Covid cases.

Amid such a situation, Zahid urged those who are yet to be vaccinated to get jabs immediately.

The minister further said that in the proposed budget, the health sector received an allocation of around Tk 4,000 crore which is higher than that in the previous fiscal year.

About the automation of student admission at private medical and dental colleges, he said this will make the admission process transparent.