17 fresh Covid-19 cases emerge in Agra, Niti Aayog includes it in ‘high caseload’ areas

A 67-year-old patient died of Covid-19 in Agra, and was cremated according to the protocols to be followed for the disease.

Agra continues to be a Covid-19 hotspot in Uttar Pradesh. The district recorded 17 cases of the disease on Tuesday, taking the overall number to 241.

Uttar Pradesh Police personnel clean a food packet, during lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus, at Daliganj in Lucknow on Tuesday. (Dheeraj Dhawan/HT Photo)

The Niti Aayog, the central government’s think tank, has included Agra in the list of high caseload areas that are “critical” in the battle against Covid-19.

The district has so far seen 12 Covid-19 related deaths.

A 67-year-old patient died of Covid-19 in Agra, and was cremated according to the protocols to be followed for the disease. The man was undergoing dialysis in a hospital in the city. The entire staff in the dialysis wing has been quarantined.

Meanwhile, fresh cases were reported from Varanasi (12) and Kanpur (8).

“Three Covid-19 deaths took place in the state, taking the death toll in the state to 34. Two deaths were reported from Agra, while one death took place in Kanpur,” Dr Vikasendu Agrawal, Joint Director/State Surveillance Officer, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) said.

The fresh cases brought the total count in the state’s 60 districts to 2,053, the statement said.

The count of active Covid-19 cases in the state stands at 1,557.