LUCKNOW: UP recorded 442 coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, highest since January 16 when 533 cases were reported.
The tally had earlier crossed 400 on January 20.
In a clear sign of surge, the number of average weekly cases has almost doubled since the first week of this month. The weekly average of new cases in the first week of March was 109 which increased to 147 in the second week. In the week between March 15 and 20, the average number of cases reported is 229.
If compared to the situation in the last two weeks of February, when the daily average ranged between 88 and 92, the number of cases has gone up by three times.
As per the Covid-19 bulletin, big cities of the state are witnessing the rise. Lucknow recorded 115 new cases, Varanasi followed next with 34 cases. Other district which reported the cases in double digits are Moradabad (21), Firozabad (21), Gautam Budh Nagar (17), Meerut (14), Jhansi (13), Saharanpur (13), Kanpur (12), Bareilly (12) and Ghaziabad (10), accounting for 63% of new cases along with the top two Lucknow and Varanasi.
‘Cases will surge if Covid preventive steps overlooked’
The gap between daily new cases and daily recoveries is also widening fast. On Saturday 123 persons recovered which is about one fourth of the new cases reported. As a result, the number of active infections is also increasing exponentially.
Until March 16, the number of active infections remained below 2000. Compared to 2014 on March 17, the number of active cases was reported to be 2,774 on Saturday which is an increment of about 27% in four days.
Experts urged people to follow covid-19 prevention protocol in letter and spirit in personal, social and economic interest.
“Ignorance to preventive behavior will mean rise in cases. This will invite restrictions and curbs which is bound to lay a negative impact on the economy which is yet to recover from last year’s jolt,” said Dr Vishwajeet Kumar, public health researcher and commentator.