43 deaths, 4,453 fresh Corona cases in Uttar Pradesh; total count 85,261

Lucknow: The coronavirus fatality count in Uttar Pradesh rose by 43 to 1,630 as the state reported its highest single-day spike of 4,453 cases, taking the number of infections to over 85,000. Of the fresh 43 deaths, the maximum six were reported from Kanpur followed by five each in Lucknow, Varanasi and Bareilly, a health bulletin said.

In the state, the maximum 199 deaths have been reported from Kanpur, 107 from Meerut and 100 from Agra, it said. "In the past 24 hours, 4,453 fresh cases of COVID-19 cases were detected," Additional Chief Secretary (Medical and Health) Amit Mohan Prasad said, adding that this has taken the infection tally to 85,261 in the state.

"The death toll due to the disease has reached 1,630," he told reporters. "There are 34,968 active cases in the state now as 48,663 patients have been discharged after treatment," he added. Lucknow reported the maximum 562 fresh cases in the past 24 hours, while Kanpur had 321 infections, followed by 295 in Bareilly and 231 in Allahabad. Prasad said the state has conducted more than 23.25 lakh tests for coronavirus so far and on Thursday, 1,15,618 samples were tested.

The official said as there is no vaccine for COVID-19 yet, people should remain alert and immediately go for testing if they develop symptoms. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to maintain utmost caution at all levels to break the chain of COVID-19 and ensure strict compliance of the guidelines for the next phase of the lockdown.

At a meeting with senior officials, the chief minister stressed on the need for continuous efforts to create awareness about the virus, an official release said. Expressing satisfaction over the number of tests being conducted in the state per day, he called for prompt door-to-door surveys and contact tracing work without any laxity, the release said.