Uttar Pradesh has recorded 12,787 new cases of the novel coronavirus, taking the state's infection tally to 6,76,739. As many as 48 more deaths were reported from the state, according to a government statement. The total death toll in the state is now at 9,085, the statement said. Taking cognizance of the rising cases in the state capital, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has 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, Muzaffarnagar 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, Muzaffarnagar 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, 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 the existing 15 to 30. Adityanath also inspected the integrated control and command centre in the state capital.
Night curfew imposed in Gorakhpur till April 18
Meanwhile, the Gorakhpur district administration on Saturday decided to impose a night curfew till April 18 in the wake of rising coronavirus cases. Gorakhpur District Magistrate Vijyendra Pandiyan said the night curfew will be imposed from 9 pm to 6 am. It will begin on Sunday night and continue till April 18.
The curfew will also exempt government employees and also those associated with the essential services and public welfare services allowed to work, but they have been urged to carry their identity cards with them at all times.
Any celebration/wedding would be allowed out of the containment zone and a maximum of 100 people would be allowed at a time with strict adherence to COVID protocol and the event should end by 10 pm, the DM said.
The directive issued by the district magistrate pointed out that essential services will continue functioning normally during the curfew period and no approval letter or e-pass is required for them.
People travelling with a legal ticket of air service/railway/ bus would be allowed to travel.
Amid a surge in coronavirus cases, authorities in Gautam Buddh Nagar, Allahabad, Meerut, Ghaziabad and Bareilly had earlier imposed a night curfew to tackle the infection spread.
On Wednesday, similar restrictions were imposed in Kanpur and the Lucknow Municipal Corporation area. A
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