COVID-19: 4 new deaths, 43 fresh infections in UP, tally nears 4,000

Forty-three people tested positive for COVID-19 in Uttar Pradesh on Friday, bringing the number of cases to 3,945, while four more deaths pushed the toll to 92, officials said.

The districts from where the fresh fatalities have been reported were not immediately known, a senior health official said.

"A total of 3,945 cases have been reported so far in the state from 75 districts, of which 1,773 are active (in 72 districts) while 2,080 people have been discharged from hospitals after recovery. Till now, 92 deaths have been reported in the state," Principal Secretary, Health, Amit Mohan Prasad said.

Of the total fatalities, Agra has reported the highest number of 24 deaths in the state. It is followed by 15 from Meerut, nine from Moradabad, six from Kanpur Nagar and four each from Firozabad and Mathura.

Three deaths each have been reported from Aligarh and Gautam Buddh Nagar, two each from Ghaziabad and Jhansi and one each from Pratapgarh, Sant Kabir Nagar, Hapur, Lalitpur, Allahabad, Etah, Mainpuri, Bijnore, Kanpur Dehat, Amroha, Bareilly, Basti, Bulandshahr, Lucknow, Varanasi and Shravasti.

Prasad said 4,878 COVID-19 tests were conducted across the state on Thursday. He said the state is also increasing facility for pool testing of coronavirus samples.

"Till now, pool of 5 samples were made. Now it will be increased to pool of 10 samples. As per ICMR guidelines, it can go up to pool of 25 samples," the officer said.

"We are emphasising on surveillance and over three crore people have been surveyed by 75,006 teams in UP. Those having symptoms (of COVID-19) have been provided required treatment," Prasad said.

COVID-19 patients in Uttar PPradesh comprise 74.6 per cent men and 25.4 per cent women, he said, adding Aaroga Setu app is effectively being used and alerts are sent to people.

"Health department teams are also calling people based on these alerts. Over 6,500 people were called and of them 14 have been tested and found positive," he said.