The number of COVID-19 positive cases in Uttar Pradesh touched 727 on Wednesday with the largest chunk of the cases so far in the State coming from the 21-40 age bracket, according to the government.
The death toll climbed to 11, with fresh ones in Moradabad, Kanpur and Agra, said the State Directorate of Health Services.
So far, deaths have been recorded in Agra (4), Kanpur, Moradabad (2), Meerut, Varanasi, Basti and Bulandshahr.
A majority of the positive cases, 46.5%, fall under the 21-40 age-group, said Amit Mohan Prasad, Principal Secretary, Health department. Another 26% fall under the 41-60 age-group, while 17% cases were found among those aged 0-20 and 10.5% among the 60 and above.
However, Mr. Prasad said all those who died in the State had “links with co-morbidity or old-age.”
To study the deaths due to COVID-19, the government had formed a committee, said Mr. Prasad. The findings would help the hospitals in pinpointing the shortcomings during treatment.
Meanwhile, the number of samples tested in Uttar Pradesh went up to 19,506.
Testing ramped up
Mr. Prasad said the government had ramped up the testing scale and on Tuesday had tested 2,433 samples on a single day. He said all districts had to send a minimum of 20 samples for testing daily and even if they did not report any positive cases yet, while districts with above 50 cases had to send at least 150-200 samples.
The State also started pool testing of samples, with the first step in Agra, which has so far recorded 149 positive cases, the highest in Uttar Pradesh.