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More than 68 million people have been infected with coronavirus (Covid-19) globally and over 1.5 million of them died since the first cases were reported in December last year, according to data compiled by the Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
The global caseload stood at 68,225,313 with 1,556,822 fatalities Wednesday, reports UNB.
In the United States, the total number of Covid-19 cases topped 15 million on Tuesday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at JHU.
US case count rose to 15,164,885, with 286,237 deaths as of Wednesday morning.
California reported the most cases among the states, standing at 1,397,237. Texas registered 1,334,750 cases, followed by Florida with 1,065,785. Illinois recorded 804,174 cases and New York identified 713,129 cases.
Other states with over 400,000 cases include Georgia, Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Tennessee, and North Carolina, the CSSE data showed.
India's Covid-19 tally reached 9,735,850 on Wednesday as 32,080 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, while the death toll mounted to 141,360 with 402 new deaths, according to the federal health ministry.
Delhi has been one of the most affected places in the country. As many as 3,188 new cases and 57 deaths were registered in the national capital during the past 24 hours.
There are still 378,909 active cases in the country, while 9,215,581 people have been discharged from hospitals, according to the health ministry.
Besides, Brazil reported 6,674,999 cases with 178,159 fatalities on Wednesday.
Infections have been reported in more than 191 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.
Bangladesh Covid-19 Situation
Bangladesh on Tuesday reported 2,202 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours, pushing the country’s total tally to 481,945.
The health authorities also recorded 32 more deaths from the virus during the period, raising the death toll to 6,906.
The mortality rate is still at 1.43 per cent, said the Directorate General of Health Services.
Bangladesh reported its first cases on March 8 and the first death on March 18.
Vaccine hope
Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine is entering the final phase of review before the US government decides whether to allow millions to get the shots.
The Food and Drug Administration posted a positive review of the Pfizer vaccine on Tuesday and will hold a public hearing on Thursday. Next week, it will do the same thing for Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine candidate.
A UK grandmother became the first person in the world to be given the Pfizer Covid-19 shot as part of a mass vaccination programme on Tuesday.
The UK is the first country in the world to start using the Pfizer vaccine after regulators approved its use last week.
On Tuesday, US regulators confirmed the vaccine is 95 percent effective, paving the way for it to be approved for emergency use.
The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has also been found to be "safe and effective", according to a paper published on Tuesday and assessed by independent scientists.