2 more die of COVID-19 in UP, total cases climbs to 805

Two more persons died of COVID-19 in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday while 78 people tested positive for coronavirus infection, taking the total fatalities in the state to 13 and active cases to 805, an official statement said.

The state had on Wednesday had reported three deaths and 67 fresh cases, taking the death toll in UP to 11 and total infected cases to 727.

"The number of coronavirus positive cases in the state are 805 in 48 districts. Thirteen deaths have been reported due to the virus while 74 patients have been treated and discharged," the statement said.

Among the fresh cases reported on Thursday, 43 are from Tablighi Jamaat met participants, it said.

Among the 13 deaths, maximum five are from Agra, two from Moradabad and one each from Lucknow, Kanpur, Basti, Meerut, Bulanshahr and Varanasi,, said sources.

The state on Wednesday had reported 67 fresh cases and three deaths fatalities on Wednesday, taking the total number of COVID-19 patients to 727 and the death toll in the state to 11, an official said.

Principal Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad said the government has decided to conduct "death audit" of all the ccoronavirus patients, who could not survive, to have a better understanding in dealing with such cases in the future.

Prasad said those who died mostly include elderly persons or those who had some prior medical conditions. The government has started pool testing, which is being done for the first time in the country in Uttar Pradesh, he said.

"We conducted 30 tests from people outside containment zone of Agra and all of them were negative. The number of testing will be increased in future," he added.