Agra, Sep 26 (IANS): Agra has achieved a new high in testing Covid-19 samples. The total samples tested exceeds 1,78,000, said the health officials on Saturday.

The steady increase in the number of samples tested has helped contain the spread of the infection, and continuously revise strategies to combat Covid-19, health department officials said.

In the past 24 hours, 84 fresh cases were reported. The number had gone up to almost 150 daily last week. The total count now is 5,401. The number of discharged after recovery is 4,301. The number of deaths till Friday was 123. The recovery rate continues to remain around 80 per cent. The sample's positivity rate is 3.04 per cent.

Three health workers of the S.N. Medical College tested positive on Friday. They have been isolated.

Doctors said a new worrying trend noticed this week was a number of patients were simultaneously showing signs of Dengue with Covid-19. Seasonal diseases like flu and viral fever were complicating issues, according to the IMA doctors.

Meanwhile, Agra District Magistrate P.N. Singh clarified that only government laboratories and test centres had been authorised to collect samples and give reports. A number of complaints had been received in the past two weeks against private laboratories clandestinely issuing false reports.

The hospitality industry has started taking big steps to welcome the new tourist season beginning from September 27, the World Tourism Day. The number of visitors at the moment is slowly going up.

The Archaeological Survey of India has made elaborate arrangements for screening and sanitising visitors at the monuments. The hotels too have gone an extra mile to ensure that the Covid-19 guidelines are observed.