UP logs 2,038 Covid cases; govt stresses on strict compliance of norms

Amid an ongoing surge in new COVID-19 cases, the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday stressed on strict compliance of new guidelines, including closure of all schools up to Class 10 till January 16.

As many as 2,038 fresh Covid cases were detected in the state on Wednesday, up from 992 on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a high-level meeting to review the situation and directed the officials to declare holiday in all schools up to Class 10 till January 16, an official spokesperson said.

Students of classes 11-12 should be called to school only for vaccination purposes and given holiday on the vaccination day and the next day. Their classes should be conducted through online mode only, the official said.

Over 4,60,000 adolescents have received their first Covid vaccine shot under the drive to inoculate those in the 15-18 age group in the state, he said.

The state government had on Tuesday issued new guidelines, extending night curfew by two hours from 10 pm to 6 am from Thursday and closure of schools up to Class 10 till Makar Sankranti among others.

As the state reported 2,038 new cases of the disease, it recorded 51 recoveries as well. The total number of active COVID-19 cases in the state now stands at 5,158, the spokesperson said.

The highest number of new cases in the state during the past 24 hours was reported from Gautam Buddh Nagar (511), followed Lucknow (288), Ghaziabad (255) and Meerut (110), a health department statement said, adding that no fresh death has been reported.

The infection tally in the state not stands at 16,88,058 and over 9.37 crore Covid tests have been done so far.

There has been an increase in new cases of coronavirus in the state.

Vaccination is going on smoothly in the state, the official said, adding that more than 13 crore people above the age of 18 have received the first dose, while over than 7.58 crore have taken both doses.