COVID-19: UP conducts over 1.50 lakhs tests in last 24 hours, reports 7,042 new cases

Over 1.50 lakh COVID-19 tests including over 50,000 RT-PCR were conducted in Uttar Pradesh in the last 24 hours, said Principal Health Secretary Amit Mohan Prasad on Friday.

"A total of 1,50,652 samples were tested in the state in the last 24 hours including 50,076 tests which were conducted at RT-PCR labs. A total of 72,17,980 samples have been tested so far. The state's positivity rate of COVID-19 in the state stands at 4.14 per cent," said Mohan addressing a press briefing on coronavirus situation in the state.

Mohan said 7,042 new COVID-19 cases were detected in the state in the last 24 hours. "A total of 7,042 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the state in the last 24 hours. There are 66,317 active cases and 2,21,506 patients have been discharged from the hospitals after their successful recovery from coronavirus. The recovery rate of COVID-19 in the state stands at 75.85 per cent," he said.

"As many as 34,920 are under home-isolation. So far 1,44,147 have taken the option of home-isolation of which 109,227 have completed their home-isolation period," he added.

Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Avnish Kumar Awasthi said that On-Demand COVID-19 testing can be conducted in the state and there is no need for doctor's prescription for COVID-19 testing in the state.

"The Chief Minister has directed contact tracing to be done in full quality. Additional Chief Secretary Health and Additional Chief Secretary Gram Vikas Panchayati Raj have been directed to prepare a special action plan with the District Magistrate of Lucknow, Chief Medical Officer, Municipal Commissioner," he said.

There are 20,000 containment zones in the state, Awasthi said.

"The number of containment zones in the state has now increased to 20,000. There are 16,20,000 houses in these containment zones in which 93,31,000 people are living. The number of positive cases in the Containment Zone is 49,508," Awasthi said.

( With inputs from ANI )