Four more test positive for COVID-19 in UP, total 37: Official

Four more people tested positive for coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 37, an official said.

Giving the district-wise breakup, the official said so far Noida has reported 11 cases, Lucknow and Agra eight cases each, Ghaziabad three and Lakhimpur-Kheri, Moradabad, Varanasi, Kanpur, Pilibhit, Jaunpurand and Shamli one case each.

Out of the 37 patients, 11 have been cured and discharged, Principal Secretary (Medical and Health) Amit Mohan told reporters here.

Those cured include seven from Agra, two from Ghaziabad and one each from Lucknow and Noida, he said.

He said the state presently has 2,800 isolation beds and the number will soon be increased to over 11,000.

"The chief minister has directed to start 200 beds each in 51 medical colleges, including the private and government ones. We also have 5,000 quarantine beds," the official said.

The isolation beds are for the treatment of patients found COVID-19 positive, while quarantine beds are for those suspected of having the infection, he said.

The state has testing facilities in six places-- three in Lucknow and one each in Aligarh, Varanasi and Meerut.

"Testing facilities will soon be available in Gorakpur and Saifai also. Private labs are also applying after the Centre issued guidelines for their accreditation," he added.