Agra, May 20 (IANS): With seven new novel coronavirus cases reported in Agra, the total tallly of such cases went up to 823. The new cases included three jail inmates and three pregnant women.

With a recovery rate of 77.76 per cent, the number of active corona cases now in the city is 155.

District Magistrate P.N. Singh said so far 10,970 samples had been collected for testing.

With the entire city now one containment zone, there is no clarity on opening of markets and shops. City residents have been demanding some relaxations to enable shopping for Eid, which falls on May 26.

Even as traders' associations and merchant chambers sought clarity on opening of businesses, district officials indicated that till the migrants' march through Agra and the stand-off between the Uttar Pradesh government and the Congress on buses to ferry migrants continued, there could be no relaxations.

With the state government announcing that the nationwide lockdown-4 will continue till May 31, police has strictly enforced it in the city, stalling the movement of both men and machinery.

In the past one week, medical services have shown some improvement though. The supply of essential commodities in red zones has been streamlined. In just five days, 85 per cent of the card holders have collected their ration supplies.

Meanwhile, the march of migrants continues till the border, even as police officials said they were not permitting anyone to enter Agra on foot.

Even as authorities claimed that state roadways buses had been provided in adequate numbers, ISBT bus stand in Agra continued to remain overcrowded.

"The mass fear, hysteria, caused by state governments has triggered this crisis, which does not seem to end. A high-level inquiry is needed. We would like to be assured that some states are not trying to get rid of migrants," said social activist Shravan Kumar Singh.