Agra, Aug 5 (IANS): The Ram temple euphoria and the feeling of liberation from "vote-bank -secularism" has brought some psychological respite from the mood of despair caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in the Taj city.

Though the spurt in the number of daily cases continues to be a cause for concern, doctors say they were confident of containing the spread and coping with the challenge, as the medical infrastructure has been considerably improved and upgraded. The reason for the higher number of cases being reported on a daily basis has been attributed to the increased testing from below 500 daily to nearly 1,500.

Facilities for rapid antigen tests at over a dozen centres has proved helpful. Scores of health department teams are screening people in the interior of the city and in the hot zones.

In the last 24 hours, Divisional Commissioner Anil Kumar, his mother, and a few staffers, were found to be Covid-19 positive. With 26 fresh cases, the tally has gone up to 1,928, with 100 deaths. The number of active cases now is 297. The recovery rate is 79.04 per cent. The number of containment zones has gone up again to 93.

The district administration has ruled out any early possibility of reopening the Taj Mahal and other monuments. Cinema halls and gyms will also have to wait, it was clarified.

Meanwhile, the city was upbeat and in a celebratory mood. In several localities public places were lit up. Hindutva leaders have appealed for lighting of lamps later in the evening.