Uttar Pradesh records 48 more COVID-19 deaths, 12,787 fresh cases

With 48 more deaths, the coronavirus fatality count in Uttar Pradesh climbed to 9,085 as 12,787 new cases took the state's infection tally to 6,76,739, according to a government statement.

Taking cognizance of the rising cases in the state capital, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed the Lucknow police commissioner to ensure that not more than five persons are allowed to enter the religious places.

Navaratri will start from April 14 and Ramzan is likely to begin from April 13.

Twenty-three new deaths were reported from state capital Lucknow, followed by six in Kanpur, two each in Varanasi, Allahabad, Muzaffarnagarar and Kushinagar and one each in Moradabad, Ballia, Ayodhya, Mathura, Rae Bareli, Rampur, Gonda, Sonbhadra, Farrukhabad, Banda and Pilibhit, the statement said.

Twenty-three deaths were reported from state capital Lucknow, followed by six in Kanpur, two each in Varanasi, Allahabad, Muzaffarnagarar and Kushinagar and one each in Moradabad, Ballia, Ayodhya, Mathura, Rae Bareli, Rampur, Gonda, Sonbhadra, Farrukhabad, Banda and Pilibhit, the statement said.

Of the 12,787 fresh COVID-19 cases, 4,059 were reported from Lucknow, followed by 1,460 from Allahabad, 983 from Varanasi, 706 from Kanpur, it said.

So far, 6,08,853 patients have recovered from the disease. The count of active COVID-19 cases in the state stands at 58,801.

Chairing a review meeting at the Lok Bhavan here, Adityanath directed officials to arrange 2,000 ICU beds in Lucknow in the next 24 hours and another 2,000 beds in a week's time.

''This means that additional 4,000 ICU beds will be created in Lucknow to tackle the COVID-19 menace. The chief minister has directed the district administration to put more ambulances on the duty,'' a senior UP government official said.

Directives were also issued to increase testing, and the ambit of contact tracing (per patient) should be increased from existing 15 to 30.

Adityanath also inspected the integrated control and command centre in the state capital.

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