Eight new COVID-19 cases in Agra; tally goes up to 1,124

Agra, June 20 (IANS) There has been an alarming rise in the number of coronavirus cases in the four districts of Agra division, as around two dozen fresh infections were reported in the last 24 hours, health officials said on Saturday.

According to the officials, Agra recorded eight new COVID-19 cases and one death in the last 24 hours. The total tally now stands at 1,124. Of this 914 have been discharged after recovery.

The number of active cases in the city now stands at 137. A 65-year-old patient suffering from respiratory disorder succumbed to the coronavirus on Friday.

In Mainpuri district, 15 fresh cases were reported. Over the past three days 44 cases have been added. Mathura, on the other hand, recorded 11 fresh cases with one death of an elderly woman, while Firozabad had eight new cases taking the district' s tally to an alarming 447.

Health officials in Agra have decided to screen all hotspots to identify people with respiratory problems. This vulnerable group of seniors will remain in the focus in coming days, as part of the redrawn strategy.

Preliminary assessment indicates that a majority of COVID-19 cases have been of those who suffer from respiratory disorders.

The Agra health administration claims it has set a record in surveying families in the last three months. More than 19 lakh people have been part of the exercise conducted by 3,628 teams.

The Nodal officer, State Energy Secretary, camping in Agra, M Devraj, has asked senior doctors to regularly meet patients and monitor their progress. Though the state government has fixed rates of sample tests, private laboratories in the city were reluctant to test COVID-19 samples. The recovery rate in the city stands at 81.02 per cent.