Lucknow, Apr 5 (IANS): In view of the spike in the Covid cases in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the state health department to appoint a nodal officer for each Covid care hospital.

The state has reported 4,164 cases in the past 24 hours.

Yogi Adityanath also directed the officials to constitute 'nigrani samitis' at the level of every Gram Panchayat and Municipal ward. This is being done in view of the ongoing Panchayat elections.

For this, members of the Yuvak Mangal Dal, 'chowkidars', civil defence and NGOS will be engaged.

He directed officials to keep a strict vigil in districts like Lucknow, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar.

The Chief Minister said the beds in the SGPGI, King George's Medical University and Ram Manohar Lohia hospital should also be increased for Covid patients.

He also warned of strict action in case of any callousness.

Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Amit Mohan Prasad said nodal officers will be appointed for both government and private hospitals. The officials will ensure that the infected people get quality treatment and the hospitals have adequate arrangements.

"The officers will also address complaints, if any, of the people admitted in these hospitals," he said.

Prasad announced that on April 7, which is World Health Day, the state government will felicitate four to eight people with gifts, in all districts, who have been administered both doses of vaccine.

The beneficiaries will be selected through a lottery with the help of a serial number of vaccination cards given to those vaccinated.

"This is being done to encourage people to get the second dose of vaccine," he said.

Prasad said the government will ensure strict implementation of Covid safety protocols, including demarcating containment zones. In one case, the containment zone would be of 25 metres radius, while in case of a cluster (more than one case), the containment zone would cover 50 metres radius.