Dhaka, May 21 -- The body count from the disease climbed to 408 after the deaths of 19 men and three women in the 24 hours to 8 am Thursday, according to government.

The caseload surged to 28,511 in the same period, DHGS Additional Director General Nasima Sultana said in a media briefing on Thursday.

Another 395 COVID-19 patients were released from hospitals during that period, bringing the tally to 5,605, she added.

A total of 10,262 samples were tested at authorised labs across the country in the last 24 hours.

Globally, over 5 million people have been infected by the novel coronavirus and 328,227 have died, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories si...