The total number of Covid-19 cases in Uttar Pradesh so far are 13. (Express photo)
The father of a woman in Agra, whose husband is undergoing treatment for coronavirus in Bengaluru, has been booked for allegedly misleading health officials about her whereabouts. Meanwhile, the woman, who travelled from Bengaluru to Agra via Delhi, has tested positive for the infection — bringing the total number of Covid-19 cases in the state to 13.
The 13 cases include eight from Agra, two each from Ghaziabad and Lucknow and one from Noida.
Three patients, meanwhile, have recovered and discharged from a Delhi hospital. The three include the the first confirmed case in Agra. Her son and elder brother, along with her manager and his wife are, however, still in the hospital.
Meanwhile, the father of the Agra woman has been booked under sections 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection) of the IPC. “Once more facts are verified, other sections, including the one mentioned under Epidemic Diseases Act, 1987, can be added. Arrest will also take place once investigation is carried out,” said the Circle Officer.
“When a team of medical officials reached the woman’s residence on March 13, we were told by her father that she had left for Delhi through Mangla Express at 10.45 am. He further told us that she would be flying to Bangalore. Immediately the DM sought information from railway authorities about her travel. The district officials further received a tip-off that the woman is present in Agra. We urge that action must be taken since the woman’s father tried to give false information at a time when the disease is highly contagious,” said the FIR registered in the matter.
Officials said the woman’s sample had been sent to a medical college in AMU where it was deemed “highly suspicious”. For further checking, they were sent to KGMU in Lucknow where they tested positive, officials said.
The District Magistrate had alleged earlier that the family did not want to cooperate with medical authorities and wanted to hide her location. “When the woman came from Bengaluru and we got to know her husband has tested positive, we asked her to stay at home in isolation. When our team went there on Friday, we were told she had left for Bengaluru via Delhi. Her father told me she left on a train. When we sought the train details, the father said she had gone on a general coach. However, we put her phone on surveillance, and her location was found to be in Agra. I then sent a police team and she was found hiding in her house,” said Agra DM P N Singh.
The family maintained that there was no lack of co-operation on their part. “The only issue was of a hygienic condition in the isolation ward. It is false that she fled because she had travelled to Agra before I was tested positive,” said the woman’s husband, presently receiving treatment in Bengaluru.
Cinema halls, multiplexes, gyms closed till March 31 in Lucknow
Cinema halls and multiplexes across Lucknow and Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad have been asked to shut till March 31 amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Clubs, discos, gyms and swimming pools will all also be shut for the same period in Lucknow, as per the order issued by District Magistrate Abhishek Prakash.
All coaching institutes in the state Capital have been ordered to remain closed till March 22 .
Failing to oblige, the act will be punishable under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC, the order stated.
“The administration is making efforts to minimise large gatherings since the possibility of spreading the virus is high in such cases. Large crowds gather for movies as well. Hence stand alone cinema halls and multiplexes situated inside malls will remain closed. Further closure will be announced after assesment is made,” Ghazibad DM Ajay Shankar Pandey said.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath conducted a review meeting on the epidemic situation in the state . A video conference with all districts heads was also organised.
Officials at the Directorate of Health Services, meanwhile, said that special drives are being run in Lucknow, where persons have tested positive in the last few days. “Extensive sanitisation activities are being conducted in Indra Nagar and Gomti Nagar areas from where the two cases were found. Six new contacts of the positive cases have been tracked. Cluster containment plan has been developed for both cases in an area of 1 km perimeter around each house,” said Surveillance Officer Vikasendu Agarwal.