First coronavirus deaths in UP; patients die in Gorakhpur, Meerut

Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday reported its first coronavirus deaths with one casualty each in Gorakhpur and Meerut as the total number of positive patients rose to 113.

A 25-year-old Basti man died at Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College on Monday before his test reports had come in, Principal Secretary (Medical and Health) Amit Mohan Prasad said.

He was admitted there on Sunday, but was being treated at Basti's district hospital and other places for liver and kidney ailments for the last three months.

In an official tally released by the state government, the death is listed under Basti district.

The other UP victim was the 72-year-old father-in-law of a Maharashtra man, who had come to Meerut on a visit and infected 16 relatives, district officials said.

Six people, including doctor and paramedical staff, who came in contact with the Basti victim have been quarantined, Gorakhpur District Magistrate Vijyendra Pandiyan told reporters.

We have alerted the Basti administration and they are also tracking each person who came in contact or attended the funeral, he said.

Out of the 113 people infected across the state, 17 are now cured and discharged from hospital, Principal Secretary Prasad said in Lucknow.

In Meerut, 17 of the 19 coronavirus patients are linked to a pottery businessman who had come on a visit from Amravati on March 19.

He took part in a wedding ceremony the next day and was hospitalised last Thursday.

While his father-in-law has succumbed to COVID-19, the elderly man's wife, their four sons and four daughter-in-laws are admitted at the Meerut Medical College's coronavirus ward.

Comparing numbers, Prasad claimed that the lockdown and personal hygiene appear to be making an impact.

He said if proper protocol is maintained, the virus could be controlled.

The official said cases have been reported from 16 districts in the state so far. Most of them are from the four clusters of Noida, Ghaziabad, Meerut and Bareilly.

Noida has reported 46 positive cases, Meerut 19, Ghaziabad nine and Bareilly six, he said.