Lucknow: Assuming an alarming proportion, the second surge of coronavirus has taken five lives and infected 1,386 persons across Uttar Pradesh in the last 24 hours.
Significantly, out of total 1,386 positive cases, 499 were reported from the state capital alone. Lucknow has contributed 2,598 positive cases out of total 8,669 so far reported from across the state.
About 35 to 40 percent of the total cases in Uttar Pradesh are reported from the state capital alone. It included about 18 journalists who tested positive during a special drive. Unfortunately, one of them died fighting coronavirus in the hospital.
The Lucknow district administration has created seven containment zones after the fresh surge in coronavirus cases to check its spread. Hospital beds are unavailable in KGMU and SGPGI and other COVID management hospitals have also reported long queues for booking of patients in Lucknow.
With people defying covid-19 guidelines while playing Holi, the number of positive cases are likely to increase manifold in days to come. “We may have to take March-April 2020 like tough steps if cases continue to increase,” said a senior health official.
The Director Medical Health Dr D.S. Negi said that all the Covid management hospitals, which were closed in December 2020, have been put on high alert mode to manage any emergency like situation. “They will start functioning within a week,” he claimed.
“We have planned to make about 1.5 lakh beds available at Covid hospitals across the state. In addition, about 17,200 beds will be reserved in the ICUs of different hospitals for critical patients,” said Dr Negi.
Besides adding L1 and L2 hospitals, more beds are being made available for L3 hospitals at KGMU, SGPGI, Civil and Lohia hospitals in the state capital Lucknow.
The state government is optimistic of breaking the coronavirus chain from April 1 when anyone above 45 years of age is allowed to get vaccinated. The government plans to step up its vaccination drive in addition to opening more labs, which were closed earlier, for screening and testing.
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