Agra, May 18 (IANS): Help reached a large number of villages in Agra, after a series of reports highlighting an alarming increase in the number of deaths in the Uttar Pradesh district.

Local MP Raj Kumar Chahar visited a number of villages on Monday and promised help. Medical teams alongwith senior officials are also fanning out to monitor the situation. The health centres that were closed, were opened on Monday.

Following lockdown, the Covid-19 graph has begun showing a downward trend in Agra.

In the past 24 hours only 79 new cases were reported. The recovery rate has also gone up to 92.30 per cent from 75 per cent till a few days ago. Health department officials said the availability of beds had improved and the oxygen supply too has increased.

In the neighbouring districts too, the downward trend is now clearly discernible, with Aligarh reporting only 89 fresh cases. The AMU Medical College received fresh supplies of medicines and oxygen.

However, the worrying aspect was the return of complacency. As government offices opened on Monday, people were seen without masks and crowding up city buses.

The sweet shops bristled with activity as people were back for the morning ‘Naashta' of Kachauri-Jalebi.