33 staff members at Medanta in Lucknow test COVID positive; cases double at an alarming rate in UP

Uttar Pradesh on Monday saw a massive COVID spike, with 572 fresh cases added to the cumulative tally. This exponential virus spread has cut-short the doubling rate of infection to less than 2 days, raising COVID alarms across the state. As per reports, the maximum share of the fresh load, around 64%, is pooling in from 4 key districts, including Ghaziabad (130), Gautam Buddha Nagar (101), Meerut (49) and state capital Lucknow (86).

Active cases in UP jump to 6-fold high

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2F2022%2F01%2Fcoronavirus-1-2-1.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.indianexpress.com&s=299&h=79a39d4c780e8dd1d774d17e41e7cc7b80d92b3734aad4826aa66ad2fce2b07a&size=980x&c=355519572 photo_credit="" pin_description="" dam="0" site_id=20074994 caption="" photo_credit_src="https://images.indianexpress.com/2022/01/coronavirus-1-2-1.jpg" crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252F2022%252F01%252Fcoronavirus-1-2-1.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.indianexpress.com%26s%3D299%26h%3D79a39d4c780e8dd1d774d17e41e7cc7b80d92b3734aad4826aa66ad2fce2b07a%26size%3D980x%26c%3D355519572%22%7D" expand=1]

UP's new rising rate of coronavirus infection is hinting at the emergent spike of 'third wave' in the state. Reportedly the number of new cases on December 30 was 193, which scaled up to 385 on New Years' Day and has been progressively rising since then. On Monday, the caseload balanced at 572 infections, contributing to a six-fold increase in the number of active cases in the state.

"Lockdown comes at a price while prevention is easier. Omicron, the new variant, may appear to be less lethal than the Delta strain, but it will cost lives when the pandemic peaks. No matter how much the government tries, prevention of pandemic remains a shared responsibility with citizens," a senior health official said.

33 hospital personnel test COVID positive in Lucknow

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Fuploads%2Fhospitals%2F1617777341_Medanta_Lucknow.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.satyughealthcare.com&s=612&h=da128fdb16595764de26b02c35a06f656ae365d97e45cbd9e1c9ea1e1fdb4dd3&size=980x&c=3427192733 photo_credit="" pin_description="" dam="0" site_id=20074994 caption="" photo_credit_src="https://www.satyughealthcare.com/uploads/hospitals/1617777341_Medanta_Lucknow.jpg" crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Fuploads%252Fhospitals%252F1617777341_Medanta_Lucknow.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.satyughealthcare.com%26s%3D612%26h%3Dda128fdb16595764de26b02c35a06f656ae365d97e45cbd9e1c9ea1e1fdb4dd3%26size%3D980x%26c%3D3427192733%22%7D" expand=1]

State capital Lucknow recorded around 86 cases on January 3 (Tuesday) up from 80 cases on Sunday. Fresh COVID-19 infections were detected in Alambagh, Aishbagh, Aliganj, Chinhat, Indiranagar, Itaunja, Kakori, Mohanlalganj, N.K Road, Red Cross, Sarojininagar and Silver Jubilee in the last 24 hours. Further, around 33 infections were reported among health care personnel of the Medanta Hospital, intensifying the pandemic threat in Lucknow.

"Most of the doctors who have been infected are those who go for sample collection and this could be the reason that they have contracted the disease.", said Medanta Hospital Director Dr Rakesh Kapoor.

To counter the rise, the distirct administration has stepped up its tracking, tracing and testing drive, along with vaccination for those over 15 years. The public is advised to adhere to all COVID-19 appropriate protocols, wear masks and maintain social distance and isolate immediately if they experience any symptoms of coronavirus.