UP sees record one-day jump of 38 coronavirus deaths

Uttar Pradesh on Friday reported 38 deaths, its highest single-day spike in coronavirus fatalities, raising the toll to 1,084 while 1,919 fresh cases pushed the infection tally to 45,363, officials said.

Additional Chief Secretary, Medical and Health, Amit Mohan Prasad said the state now has 16,445 active Covid-19 cases, while 27,634 patients have so far been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the infection.

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Prasad said a record 54,207 coronavirus samples were tested on Thursday and the number would be increased further.

"In the past 24 hours (since 3 pm Thursday), 1,919 fresh cases of Covid-19 and 38 deaths were reported, pushing the total number of cases to 45,363 and deaths to 1,084," the health department said.

About the home isolation facility, Prasad said it was not deliberately provided in the state as asymptomatic patient spread the virus in family and others.

In an important decision, the state government, Prasad said, has decided to provide isolation facility in hotels in Lucknow and Ghaziabad.

"The district administration of Lucknow and Ghaziabad will acquire hotel and the facility of isolation for asymptomatic patients will be provided thereon a double occupancy basis at a charge of Rs 2,000 per day. The medical facility will be provided to them by the health department at a one-time payment of Rs 2,000," he said.

Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Information, Awanish Kumar Awasthi said that during the weekend lockdown, directives have been issued to all districts to use drone cameras to keep an eye on the movement of traffic and cleanliness work.

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"Drones will be used in all districts in the next two days," Awasthi said.

Prasad said around 1.75 lakh people with novel coronavirus-like symptoms were found during the surveillance campaign conducted in the entire state till July 15.

"The health department is now testing all of them," Prasad said.