Fourth Covid-19 death in UP: 76-yr-old woman with lung disease

Of the 29 new cases, at least 16 are linked to the Delhi Markaz congregation. With this, the total number of patients with Tablighi Jamaat connection has risen to 195 in the state. Follow Coronavirus LIVE news updates

According to Agra district administration officials, the woman who died on Wednesday had tested positive a day ago. While she has no travel history, it is suspected that her grandson is the source of infection as he had returned from the Netherlands last month.

“The woman was old and was bedridden. She was confirmed COVID-19 positive only on Tuesday, and his grandson has a foreign travel history. We have already sent the samples of her family members for testing. The results are awaited. The woman had already gone to two other hospitals for treatment before being admitted to SN Medical College in Agra on Tuesday evening. Three of our dedicated teams are working to trace everyone who might have come in contact with her. The good thing is that the private hospitals where she was treated before had taken all precautions,” Agra District Magistrate Prabhu Narain Singh.

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The woman was already suffering from hypothyroidism, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) along with being steroid-dependent and was on oxygen therapy, the DM added.

She died on Wednesday around 10:30 am.

A migrant family at a shelter home in Colonelganj town of Gonda district. At least 25 people are housed there. (Express photo by Vishal Srivastav)

The three previous deaths in the state were one each from Meerut, Basti and Varanasi.

Meanwhile, four more patients recovered, taking the total number of recovery to 31 in the state — 12 from Noida, eight from Agra, five from Lucknow, three from Ghaziabad and one each from Kanpur, Shamli and Pilibhit.

‘Most patients — almost half — in the 21-40 age group’

Principal Secretary Amit Mohan Prasad on Wednesday said that an age-wise analysis of the patients showed that their advisory to save children and elderly safe is working as they have the least patient percentage.

“In the age-wise analysis, we have found that 16 per cent of the patients are in the category of 0-20 years, the highest number (44 per cent) is in the category of 21-40 years. In 41-60 years category, there is 27 per cent of the patients. Our advisories to save our elderlies has paid off as there are just 13 per cent patients of 60 plus age,” Prasad said.

He also said that the government will be ramping up testing from Thursday.

“Till now, we were testing around 700-800 samples every day. From tomorrow, we intend to carry out around 1500 tests every day. This will include the districts where no case has been reported yet, just to make sure there is no spread in the area,” Prasad added.

Meanwhile, police registered 275 cases under the Essential Commodities Act. A total of 11,550 FIRs have been filed till date for violation of lockdown.

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