Uttar Pradesh reports 20 fresh COVID-19 cases; many districts see improvement

Uttar Pradesh reported 20 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the total number of such cases in the state to 869, an official said on Saturday.

"The number of active coronavirus cases in the state is 869. Some districts in the state have successfully beaten the disease and this is a positive step, Principal Secretary Health Amit Mohan Prasad said.

He said the cases of infection had been reported from 49 districts of the state, adding some districts have successfully flattened the COVID-19 curve.

"All cases in Pilibhit, Hathras and Maharajganj have been treated. Similarly, Allahabad and Bareily have also discharged all its infected persons after treatment," the official said.

 

Prasad, however, said six districts--Gautambudh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Lucknow, Meerut, Agra and Saharanpur-are a cause of worry as these are the main centers of the infection.

Nevertheless, he asserted that the northern state was showing considerable progress in its fight against the deadly disease.

The principal secretary said the districts with few infected persons have been able to control the disease effectively.

He said hotspot areas are either shrinking or an entire district is becoming infection-free which is a positive step.

Uttar Pradesh has so far recorded 14 deaths -- the maximum five from Agra, two each from Moradabad and Meerut and one each from Lucknow, Kanpur, Basti, Bulanshahr and Varanasi.

As of now, there are 1,025 people in isolation wards, while the number of those in quarantine is 10,814 in the state, Prasad said.

The official also stressed on the need to take proper care of the aged as they are more prone to catching infection.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said some districts are gradually turning out to be coronavirus-free.

"After Pilibhit, Hathras and Maharajganj, now Allahabad has become coronavirus-free. The district magistrate of Bareilly, which had one hotspot, has declared that the cases there are turning out as negative, he said.

Awasthi said all of this has been possible only because of the collective efforts of state employees and public cooperation.

The state with such a large population has lesser number of COVID-19 cases. The growth rate and the death rate here is also lesser than the national average, he added.