Minister, MP among 759 new cases, 8 deaths in Lko

LUCKNOW:UP panchayati raj minister, Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, and Mohanlalganj MP, Kaushal Kishore, were among the 759 people who tested positive for Covid-19 in Lucknow on Wednesday. The district’s infection count rose to 23,676 while eight more fatalities due to the virus took the death toll to 311.

“My report is positive for Covid-19 and I am getting admitted to hospital on medical advice. Those who came in my contact recently may please isolate themselves and get tested,” the minister tweeted.

“My test on August 19 was negative, but today it came positive at the Apollo hospital. People in my contact may get themselves tested,” tweeted Kaushal Kishore. Earlier, health minister JP Singh, law minister Brajesh Pathak and jal shakti minister Mahendra Singh had tested positive while two ministers – Kamal Rani Varun and Chetan Chauhan – died due to Covid.

Senior faculty member of the King George’s Medical University Dr Samir Misra also tested positive. He was in home isolation. Till now, over 200 staff members on the KGMU campus have tested positive.

Meanwhile, three staff members of the public analyst lab in Aliganj, which tests food, water and medicine samples, also tested positive.

The lab and the office were closed till August 28. FSDA commissioner Anita Singh stated that since the entrance of the commissioner headquarters and the lab were the same, there was little space for the staff working in the building, hence the entire campus was closed for 48 hours for sanitisation. The administrative wing of the Central Drug Research Institute was also shut for sanitization till August 28.

“In view of the rising cases in the institute, the director (CSIRCDRI) has decided to close the institute on August 27 and 28 for sanitization. Accordingly, assessment committee meeting for assessment of group I and II scheduled on August 27, stands postponed. The new date will be communicated shortly,” said the office memorandum from administrative officer Pradip Kumar.

Among those who died included a 45-year-old woman from Bazarkhala, who was admitted to the corona ward of the KGMU on August 24. “She died of respiratory failure and septicemia,” said Dr Sudhir Singh, spokesperson, KGMU.

Another 30-year-old man from Jankipuram died at the corona ward of KGMU. “He died due to respiratory distress syndrome and septicemia,” said Singh. A 34-year-old man from Ashiana died late on August 25. “He died of acute respiratory distress syndrome,” he added.