Bangladesh secures 17.5 million coronavirus vaccines after caseload crosses 1 million

Bangladesh has closed deals for 17.5 million more coronavirus vaccine doses, the health minister said Saturday, as the country fights with record deaths and its caseload crossed one million.

The country of 169 million people has forced its strictest ever lockdown as it pursues to control a major flow in cases and record numbers of deaths.

The lockdown has been placed for two weeks and is supported by troops on the streets to keep people in their homes.

It is expected the boundaries will be protracted past the present end date of July 14.

Health minister Zahid Maleque said the administration was also intent on cumulative the number of inoculation doses available.

So far only 5.8 million people have been inoculated, with the drive hindered by India’s postponement of exports due to its own scarcities.

Maleque stated that 4.5 million new shots had been secured, while Bangladesh would also get six million under the Covax international alliance.

China would start providing another five million from August. “We think that in coming days there will be no shortage of the vaccine,” Maleque told reporters.

“Our aim is to gradually vaccinate some 80 percent of the people,” stated Maleque.

The minister has confronted denunciation as the pandemic deteriorates.

The national caseload crossed one million on Friday when another 11,324 contaminations were recorded.

The number of demises is over 16,000 with a record 212 added Friday.

Experts have stated that the real death toll is at least five times higher.

The number of Covid-19 patients has increased in the past month, the minister said, and the government intended to construct new hospitals and employ 4,000 new doctors and 4,000 nurses.