LUCKNOW: Ninety-nine more people tested positive for coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, taking the total number of infected cases in the state to 657, senior government officials said here.
The number of persons who died of COVID-19 till date, however, remained pegged at five, they said.
Earlier on Monday 75 persons had tested positive for the infection, taking the total cases in the state to 558.
Joint Director-cum-State Surveillance Officer Vikasendu Agrawal of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) on Tuesday said, "A total of 657 corona-positive cases have been reported from the state."
"Till now, the state has reported five deaths -- one each in Basti, Meerut, Bulandshahr, Varnasi and Agra," he added Additional Chief Secretary (Information) Awanish Awasthi said 80 to 85 per cent of the cases have been reported from identified hotspots.
"The total positive cases in the state are 558. So far, 49 patients have fully recovered and discharged," Principal Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad told reporters on Monday.
Of the 49 cured and discharged patients, 13 were in Noida, 10 in Agra, nine in Meerut, seven in Ghaziabad, six in Lucknow and one each in Kanpur, Shamli, Pilibhit and Lakhimpur Kheri, an official statement issued here said.
Prasad said there has been an improvement in the sampling mechanism in the state.
"On Sunday, the maximum of 1,980 samples were tested. Now, we are collecting about 2,000 samples a day," he added.
The total number of samples sent for testing so far in the state is 13,278.
Of these, results of 177 samples are awaited, the statement said.