Bangladesh recorded an additional 33 deaths from COVID-19 and 2,996 infections in the past 24 hours on Tuesday, counting the death toll to 3,471 and infections to 2,63,503.

Nasima Sultana, additional director general of Directorate General of Health Services, came up with the latest update at the daily COVID-19 bulletin.  

Some 14,820 specimens were tested at 86 labs in the timeline across the country.

A total of 1,535 patients were declared free from novel coronavirus infection in the past 24 hours totalling the recovery to 1,51,972.

The country on March 8 reported the first COVID-19 positive cases while the first death was logged ten days later on March 18.

The government had tested 12,27,988 people, of which 20.46 per cent tested positive for the novel coronavirus infection as of August 11.

The daily infection rate was 20.22 per cent in the past 24 hours reporting period until Tuesday morning.

Bangladesh has seen a sustained daily infection of over 20 per cent ever since it relaxed lockdown restrictions on May 31.

When the lockdown restrictions were lifted, the infection rate was 15 per cent. The decision went against World Health Organisation recommendation of taking the step only when daily infection rate is below 5 per cent for 14 consecutive days at a place.

Virologists said over 20 per cent daily infection indicates widespread circulation of the disease.

Some 1,535 people have recovered between Monday and Tuesday mornings taking the total number of recovery to 1,51,972, which is 57.67 per cent of the people got infected so far, said Nasima.

The death rate was 1.32 per cent of the infection, she said.

Of the newly deceased, the highest number of 14 people was aged between 61 and 70 while five each belonged to the age brackets of 31-40 and 51-60.

Three people died aged between 71 and 80 while three others were aged from 81 to 90, said the health services. One died aged between 11 and 20.

A total of 15 of the deceased were from Dhaka while five each from Chattogram and Rajshahi, four from Rangpur, three from Khulna and one from Mymensingh divisions.

Of them, 30 died at hospitals and three at home.