Dhaka, Jul 26 (IANS): The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Bangladesh reached 221,178 on Saturday as about 2,500 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours.

Senior Health Ministry official Nasima Sultana said in a briefing that "2,520 new COVID-19 positive cases and 38 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours across Bangladesh", Xinhua reported.

"The number of confirmed infections in the country totalled 221,178, while fatalities stood at 2,874," she said.

According to the official, 10,446 samples were tested in the last 24 hours in labs across the country.

She said the total number of recovered patients in the country now stands at 122,090 including 1,114 on Saturday.

According to the official, the COVID-19 fatality rate in Bangladesh stands at 1.30 per cent.

She also said that the current recovery rate is 55.20 per cent in the country.

Bangladesh recorded the highest 4,019 cases in a 24-hour period on July 2.

The country reported the highest 64 deaths of COVID-19 patients in a day on June 30.