Uttar Pradesh records the highest single-day spike, government orders fresh curbs. About 67 Covid patients died in the last 24 hours, with 31 in Lucknow, which is the worst hit by the virus according to the UP Health Department’s bulletin.
With a fresh surge of the COVID-19 pandemic stalking Uttar Pradesh, in Lucknow the capital, hospitals managing the pandemic and other hospitals are overflowing and unable to take the load of patients.
There is a shortage of beds and ventilators in hospitals. Even non-COVID hospitals have a lack of beds and equipment and patients are seen queuing up on the roads waiting for hours. Others are frantically moving from one to another in search of beds.
On Thursday, the trauma center of the King George Medical University (KGMU) was overflowing with patients while other patients lay on stretchers outside the hospital gate from morning till afternoon waiting to be admitted.
Things are slackening up the smooth functioning of the pandemic with a delay in getting COVID reports and while the rising number of cases has exacerbated the COVID dilemma in Lucknow.
The KGMU government administration has maintained a stoic silence and has not yet commented on the situation.
According to a government statement, the CM ordered a night curfew Thursday till April 16 from 9 pm to 6 am, the official said, as the coronavirus cases continue to surge. There are to be not more than 100 people allowed to assemble at an open space for an event – social, religious, sports, entertainment, educational or cultural — while the number has been put at 50 for closed spaces. People have to follow basic COVID protocols.
“The system of containment zone should be strictly enforced. Adequate arrangements should be made for all necessary logistics including PPE kits, pulse oximeters, infrared thermometers, sanitizers, antigen kits in all districts. There should not be any complaint of lack of logistics from any district. There is adequate availability of HFNC and ventilator in the state,” the government said.
The Lucknow district administration said that all educational institutions, barring medical, nursing, and para-medical institutes, would remain closed till April 15.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged people to take part in the four-day “Teeka Utsav” that aims to vaccinate a maximum number of people. The vaccination is being done at 6,000 centers in the state and more than 85 lakh people have got their first dose, so far.