Agra, Aug 7 (IANS): A total of 38 new coronavirus cases were reported in Agra district in the past 24 hours, even as 38 PAC jawans were among 43 more persons who tested positive in Mainpuri district during the period, official sources said on Friday.

During the period, Mathura district reported 45 new cases, Firozabad 22, Etah 17, and Kasganj 9.

The sources said that tests to detect coronavirus cases have increased in Agra, with an early analysis suggesting a decline in the overall infection rate in the district to 1.84 per cent in August.

The rate was 7.25 per cent in April, 5.28 per cent in May, and 4.08 per cent in June.

Health Department officials gave credit for the encouraging trend of lower infection rate to the people of Agra.

After new coronavirus cases were reported in Agra, the district's corona cases now total 2,001. With one more death, the death toll has increased to 101. As many as 1,606 patients have recovered so far.

The number of containment zones, however, remain on the high side at 107. After parliamentarian SP Singh Baghael's wife Madhu tested corona positive, she was quarantined.

Compared with testing of around 300 samples daily in June, the numbers have gone up between 1,500 and 2,000. So far, 61,085 samples have been tested in the Agra district.

Indian Medical Association Secretary Dr Sanjay Chaturvedi said: "These are early trends. The number of tested samples is definitely much higher today. We have a better understanding of the health issues and the response is fairly prompt. It is true that there is a better public awareness; but any complacency at this stage can be detrimental."