Agra, Aug 26 (IANS): The Agra district administration is prepared to contain the spread of Covid-19 which has dented economic activities in Agra, Mathura, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etah and Kasganj.
With a leap in daily testing, the state health department has streamlined the medical infrastructure in the last four months. Continuous sanitation and conducting training in health camps for people and paramedical staff have contributed in a big way to stall the infection spread and lower the mortality rate. The overall recovery rate remains healthy, say medical college doctors.
In the past 24 hours, there were 40 fresh cases in Agra, followed by 30 in Mathura, 25 in Mainpuri, 29 in Etah, 10 in Firozabad and 28 in Kasganj.
The number of active cases in Agra is 296. The number of samples collected is 1,02,958 and 2,189 patients have recovered.
An additional city Magistrate and two of his staffers were found Covid-positive on Tuesday. The office has been sealed for two days for sanitisation.
The SN Medical College management has directed doctors to conduct two Covid tests before undertaking any surgery, to ensure that the medical staff is secured against the coronavirus.
A health department official said the seven hospitals in Agra now have 1,055 beds for Covid patients,out of which only 94 were occupied while 165 patients were in home isolation.
Medical practitioners in Agra foresee a mini population explosion early 2021, as a large number of migrants have returned, people are forced to stay back home and there has been a disruption in the supply of family planning campaign material and contraceptives.
Another notable feature in the current battle against Covid-19 that has come to light is the contribution of women warriors. Almost 70 per cent of the health force consists of lady doctors, paramedical staff, the Asha, Sangini and ANM workers who collect samples, sanitise and distribute medicines and also counsel anxious patients.
Agra district has 2,395 Asha volunteers and 120 Sangini volunteers in addition to hundreds of ANMs.