Lucknow turns into COVID hotspot, vax hesitancy rises as top docs infected

Lucknow is turning into the biggest COVID hotspot in Uttar Pradesh.

After 40 doctors in the King George's Medical University (KGMU) tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday night, 11 employees of the Axis Bank in the posh Hazratganj locality tested positive for the virus on Wednesday.

As the corona scare gets bigger, vaccine hesitancy is also on the rise since most of those who have tested positive in the medical facilities had received the vaccination.

KGMU Vice Chancellor, Lt Gen Dr Vipin Puri (retd), has tested positive for COVID for the second time in nine months. He had tested positive in August last year.

He took the second dose of vaccine on March 25 last.

Dr Sandeep Tewari of KGMU said: "During last four days, around 40 doctors, including Medical Superintendent Dr Himanshu, have tested positive."

Most of the doctors have tested positive despite taking both the doses of vaccine.

Around 20 doctors of the General Surgery Department have tested positive, as well as nine doctors of the Urology Department and three doctors of the Medicine Department have been tested positive.

Tests of several other faculty members are being conducted after they complained of influenza-like symptoms and their reports will be available later. Screening of entire staff in several departments has been done on Wednesday.

The heads of the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, the Medanta Hospital and the Era Medical college have already tested positive for COVID even after getting vaccinated.

Meanwhile, seven deaths were reported in the state during last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 1,248.

They included Professor Brajesh Shukla of Lucknow University, a recipient of Padma Shri, and chief pharmacist of police lines, R.K. Chaudhary.