UP records single-day spike of 7,042 coronavirus cases

Uttar Pradesh has recorded the highest single-day spike of 7,042 coronavirus cases, taking the tally to 2,92,029.

Lucknow alone recorded 917 cases on Thursday.

The number of deaths on Thursday was 94 pushing the death toll in the state to 4,206, according to an official bulletin.

Fatalities reported in the state include 11 COVID-19 deaths in Lucknow, eight in Kanpur city, six in Gorakhpur, five each in Meerut and Pilibhit, four each from Prayagraj, Varanasi, Saharanpur and Muzaffarnagar.

The total number of active cases in the state now stands at 66,317.

Additional Chief secretary, Health, Amit Mohan Prasad said that till now, 2,21,506 COVID-19 patients have been discharged from hospitals after recovery which puts the state's recovery rate at 75.85 per cent.

Prasad said that with a total of over 70.67 lakh COVID tests done so far, Uttar Pradesh has become the first state to conduct over 70 lakh tests. He said that 1.49 lakh tests were performed on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the state government has revised the rates of COVID tests by private labs and now it will cost Rs 1,600 per test.

Earlier, the charge for a COVID test was Rs 2,500, he said. No prescriptions are now needed for carrying out COVID tests.