Three more die of coronavirus in UP; total 660 infected in state

Uttar Pradesh reported 102 fresh coronavirus cases and three fatalities on Tuesday, taking the total number of COVID-19 patients to 660 and the death toll due to the pandemic to eight in the state, an official said.

Among the latest deaths, two were reported from Agra and one in Moradabad, he said.

Agra has reported the maximum fatalities in the state with three people succumbing to the infection in the district till now.

State Surveillance Officer Dr Vikasendu said the remaining five deaths were reported from Basti, Meerut, Bulandshahr, Varnasi and Moradabad.

An official release of the state health department said 102 fresh cases were reported on Tuesday, of which 70 cases are of people who had attended a large religious congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin area last month.

Among the total 660 cases, 375 are the attendees of the religious congregation, it said, adding that the coronavirus positive cases have been reported from 44 districts of the state.

About the rise in cases, Principal Secretary, Health, Amit Mohan Prasad said those who died of coronavirus were suffering from other health problems too.

"They are mostly elderly or had some medical condition," he said.

The official further said the number of positive cases is high at present as the reports of many samples were pending and with an increase in testing facilities their results have started coming now.