Lucknow is falling deeper into the pits of the ‘second wave of coronavirus’. According to the data provided by the health division and the consequent forecasts, the virus growth rate in Lucknow is 6 times more than the initial surge in 2020. As evident from the daily surge clocked in here, the state capital reported the highest tallies across all districts for the fifth consecutive day, clocking a high tally of 90 new cases on Friday.
Lucknow clocks-in heightened doubling rate of COVID-19
In 6 days time, the daily surge in COVID-19 cases has spiked from 0 on March 13 to a high 90 on March 19. Last year, it took about 69 days for the virus to grow from 0 cases from the initial outbreak to a tally of 80 cases on July 4. Cases are now doubling in the city is less than 3 days, which as per official statements could also be an effect of increased testing and tracing capacities here.
Besides the high growth rate, Lucknow is also witnessing a slow-paced recovery that is adding to the active patient load in city hospitals. On Friday, the recovery count dipped to a low 12. At present, the state capital is nursing the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Uttar Pradesh, amounting to a total of 458.
In view of this pandemic threat, the District Magistrate in Lucknow has moved directives reinforcing the established preventive protocol for the general public. Wearing a face mask is compulsory in the state and people won’t be allowed to enter institutions and establishments without one. Other guidelines list regular sanitisation and maintenance of social distance in public places to maximise personal caution against the virus. This will enable effective action to break the chain of infection and violation of any norm would be considered as a punishable offence.
