Agra, Jul 2 (IANS): The Agra district administration has begun an extensive exercise for door-to-door survey in all areas to check the further spread of COVID-19. Two days ago, the state government had announced that all areas will be thoroughly screened to ensure the infection from the coronavirus was effectively stopped.

The survey began on Wednesday in the city and will cover the whole district by July 5.

Teams of health workers will visit homes and conduct surveys, thermal screening and look for people with respiratory ailments. This exercise is considered necessary to reach out to people not only in the hotspots, but also in remote areas of the district, who might be in the need of medical attention.

In the last 24 hours 14 fresh corona cases were reported in Agra and 17 from Mathura.

The death toll in Agra stands at 88. The total number of cases till Thursday morning was 1,241. The recovery rate is 83.07 per cent. The number of hotspots now is 52.

District Magistrate P.N. Singh said the markets would be permitted to remain open for an additional one hour in the evening.

In Mathura, the district administration has sealed the borders and deployed additional personnel to ensure no one entered the district for the annual Mudiya Poonau fair at Goverdhan. The five-day fair, which was supposed to begin from July 1 this year has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.