28 more coronavirus cases surface in UP; total count 480

Twenty-eight more coronavirus cases surfaced in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, taking the count in the state to 480, a state government official said.

Principal Secretary (Medical and Health) Amit Mohan Prasad said so far 480 cases have been reported from 41 districts of the state.

Forty-five patients have fully recovered and discharged, he said, adding that an improvement in the sampling mechanism has been made in the state.

"On Saturday, 1,640 samples were tested. Initially, 150-200 samples were tested, which was then increased to 800. Now, this figure has crossed the 1,600-mark. Soon, we will cross the 2,000-mark," Prasad said.

The official said the doctors who want to offer tele-consultation will be registered.

Voluntary registration for doctors will be started on the Health Department's website. Advice can also be sought from helpline 18001805145 and counsellors have been engaged for this, he said.

We are also planning to make a pool of serving and retired government doctors and start taking their services for tele-consultation in the next a couple of days," the principal secretary added.

He said it has also been decided to impart training to doctors and paramedical staff from where coronavirus cases have been reported as a doctor in Agra was found infected with the infection.

At present, there are 576 patients in isolation wards while 8,084 are in quarantine facilities, he said.