Lucknow, Aug 23 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh on Monday witnessed the steepest decline in the number of fresh Covid cases as the state logged new infections below 10 for the first time since the second wave.

Uttar Pradesh limited the number of fresh infections to 7, making it the lowest daily-case count for the state so far. The state had recorded 19 new cases on Sunday.

With this encouraging sign, the state's recovery rate stands at a good 98.6 per cent testifying the success of the 'UP's Covid-19 Model' in taming the raging disease that has also been praised by experts nationally and globally and is serving as a model for other states to replicate.

Continuing the downward trend, Uttar Pradesh has been maintaining the daily Covid test positivity rate (TPR) - the number of positive cases against the total tests done - at 0.01 per cent, which is the lowest in the country.

This rate was at its highest at 16.84 per cent on April 24 and now remains even lower than the lowest post first wave of Covid-19.

According to an official release, the high recoveries and a low number of new cases have subsided the active caseload in the state to 362, while the percentage of active cases as against the total confirmed cases is just 0 per cent.

Despite registering a steady decline in the number of fresh cases, Uttar Pradesh has been pushing for more testing.

Under the state's 'Covid Control Model', Covid-19 testing has been one of the most-stressed upon weapons against the pandemic. Uttar Pradesh has tested the maximum number of samples so far - over 7.07 crore - followed by Maharashtra's 5.22 crore.