Lucknow, Aug 3 (IANS): In a shocking development, it has been found that as many as 2,290 patients, who tested positive for COVID-19 in the past nine days, have submitted false information including name, address, contact number to the Lucknow administration.

These patients were examined between July 23-31.

The issue came to light when administration authorities tried to contact the patients to inform them about of their COVID-19 reports.

The district administration has now sought the help of the surveillance division of the state police after which 1,171 people were traced and admitted to the hospital.

However, 1,119 patients are still untraceable and efforts are on to locate them.

Legal action is also to be taken against these people for providing wrong information about themselves to the administration.

Sujit Pandey, Commissioner of Police Lucknow, said: "Thousands of tests were done to break the chain of the coronavirus infection.

"People were tested at camps set up at several places in Lucknow. During this, some people submitted their wrong name, address and contact numbers. When a probe was initiated, the names and addresses were found to be wrong. We have traced down 1,171 till date, while efforts are on to trace down the remaining patients.

"All the hospitals and labs conducting tests are now directed to verify the details of the patients at their end before taking their samples."

Lucknow reported 391 fresh COVID-19 cases, with 14 deaths on Sunday.

As per the data issued by the Uttar Pradesh Health Department, 3,953 new cases were reported in the state on Sunday, taking the total tally to 92,921.

The total number of deaths have reached 1,730.