In the past 24 hours, 25 people infected with SARS-CoV-2 have died, taking the state’s Covid toll to 913. (Representational)

On a day when Uttar Pradesh recorded another peak in the daily new cases of novel coronavirus with 1,403 new infection, Capital Lucknow recorded 202 new cases – the highest in the state. With this, the state’s caseload has gone up to 35,092. In the past 24 hours, 25 people infected with SARS-CoV-2 have died, taking the state’s Covid toll to 913.

Lucknow Chief Medical Officer Dr Narendra Agarwal said that the fresh cases in the district have been reported from 41 different spots. “Of these highest 14 are from the Gomti Nagar area, 10 from the district Cantonment area, eight from the DG office, six from Mandi Samiti on Sitapur road, three from the police headquarters in Mahanagar, two from the homeguards headquarter and the other three are doctors of the King George’s Medical University (KGMU).”

KGMU spokesperson Dr Sudhir Singh said that among those who have tested positive, one is from the institute’s medicine department, and rest are junior residents at the hospital’s ENT department. “We have prepared a list of their first-degree contacts and they will be tested on the fifth day. Till then they will stay in home quarantine,” said Singh.

Among the rest of the new cases, Ghaziabad reported 147, followed by Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida) 89, Hapur 64 – all in the NCR region and its surrounding areas.

Besides, Jhansi reported 62 new cases and now has 345 active cases. Kanpur Nagar and Gorakhpur reported 57 new cases each, while Prayagraj 53 and neighbouring Varanasi 39. Ayodhya reported 40 new cases of infection and now has 159 active cases, while Ballia 34 and now has 234 active cases.

In terms of cumulative cases, both of the NRC districts of Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad are on the top with 3,347 and 3,016 total cases, respectively. Third on the list is Lucknow with 2,214 total cases.

In terms of active cases, Ghaziabad has the highest at 1206, followed by 1,149 in Gautam Buddh Nagar.

Of the total 25 deaths recorded in the past 24 hours, five were in Kanpur Nagar, three in Meerut, two each in Gautam Buddh Nagar, Prayagraj, Mathura and Fatehpur, and one each in Jhansi, Etawah, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Ayodhya, Siddharthnagar, Varanasi, Moradabad, and Lucknow.

Agra still has the highest deaths so far at 93, followed by Meerut with 89 and Kanpur Nagar with 83.

According to the state health department’s bulletin, a total of 22,689 have been discharged so far, with Saturday reporting recovery of 902 patients. The state now has 11,490 active cases.

Meanwhile, speaking to mediapersons, Principal Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad said that a record number of 42,354 tests were conducted on Friday that included tests by RT-PCR method, TrueNat machines, and rapid antigen tests. With this, the state has recorded more than 11.16 lakh tests, he added.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched seven new RT-PCR test labs across the state. The new labs are in Aligarh, Varanasi, Moradabad, Mirzapur, Gonda, Bareilly and Lucknow.

The Chief Minister directed that the testing capacity in the state be increased. He said 30,000 tests should be conducted per day using RTPCR. Along with that, 15,000 to 20,000 antigen tests and 2,000 tests through TrueNAT machines should be conducted every day, Adityanath said.

He also said that special vigilance has to be maintained in the districts of Kanpur Nagar, Jhansi, and Mathura in view of the recent surge in the cases there.

He directed that a special secretary-rank officer, an officer of the Health department, and a senior officer of the Medical Education department be tasked with preparing a strategy to control the spread of the infection.

To curb the spread of the infection, proper screening facilities should be ensured for train and flight passengers, he said.

He also stressed on making cleanliness a part of life, saying many diseases can be prevented by doing this.

At a webinar later, the CM said his government has turned the adversity arising out of the pandemic into opportunity through planning and strategy. There was not a single PPE kit or N95 mask manufacturing unit in the state before the lockdown was imposed, but now it has 43 such units that have the capacity to export PPE kits, he said.

—With PTI Inputs