Agra becomes the corona capital Uttar Pradesh

Agra tops in UP in the number of coronavirus deaths and positive cases. With 28 new positive cases detected in the district on Tuesday, the number of infected cases reached 295 while six people have died from the deadly pandemic. Earlier, the central and state government had cited ‘Agra model’ as ideal, Agra has become the corona capital of Uttar Pradesh. It is on way to becoming Indore of Madhya Pradesh.

Agra: Following detection of 28 new corona positive cases in the district on Tuesday morning, the number of infected persons reached 295 in Agra. Besides, six persons died of the deadly pandemic. This has increased the worry of the state government. Today, Agra has become the corona capital of UP and is on way to becoming Indore of MP. Because of a callous district administration which has failed to take strict action, private hospitals in the district are treating suspected coronavirus people who had returned from the Jamaat congregation in Delhi.

On way to becoming Indore

On March 2, 2020, five persons from one family in the district were found to be coronavirus positive. The family belonged to two brothers who were into the business of footwear and gone on a tour of Italy. After them, the factory manager and his wife were infected. On March 13, the daughter of a railway employee, who had returned from her honeymoon trip to Italy was found infected with the coronavirus. The coronavirus bomb exploded in the district in April from the Jamaatis and patients in private hospitals. The threat of community transmission of the deadly disease is now looming large over the district.

The danger of community transmission increased because of the lack of a concrete plan to check the spread. Three vegetable vendors in the district have been found coronavirus positive. Many other vegetable vendors suspected of being coronavirus positive have been placed under quarantine.

There is fear among the people after a chemist and a milkman were found to have been infected. Even the policemen are a worried lot after a thief they had caught was found to be coronavirus positive.

When Agra model came into focus

When Bhilwara in Rajasthan had become the hub of coronavirus pandemic, the Agra model was being discussed. The reason for this was that when the administration carried out screening and sample testing of people living in a radius of three kilometres from the city after eight positive cases were found, all the results were found negative. This made the district administration and the health department complacent and as a result, the pandemic is spreading fast in Agra.

Result of negligence

The first eight coronavirus cases in the district had Italy connection. After that, people with a connection to UK, America and Dubai were found infected. So far, eight infected persons have been found in the district who had returned from a foreign visit.

It was the biggest mistake of the district administration not to have prepared a list of those who had returned from foreign trips in the months of February and March. Similarly, the district administration and the local intelligence unit had failed to identify people who had returned from the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi. As a result, members of the Tablighi Jamaat took shelter in the city and spread infection.

Nearly 100 members of the Jamaat were found to be positive for coronavirus in the district. Almost double the number have been placed under quarantine. While a coronavirus bomb has exploded in the district, the district and health department officials have no strategy to meet the challenge. There is no increase in the number of survey and sampling. This has speeded up the spread of the pandemic. The Out Door Patients’ (OPD) of all the government and private hospitals in the districts are closed.

However, because of the negligence of the district and health administration, coronavirus patients are being treated in Paras hospital, Sarthak hospital, SR hospital, Rashmi Medicare, Anand Mangal hospital and other private hospitals like the poor quality Azam Khan hospital.

Medical practitioners did not give information to the district administration about those who had returned from foreign trips. As a result, the pandemic spread.

There are 80 infected patients in Paras hospital alone who all belong to the district. Because of this, the pandemic has spread to the neighbouring ten districts. The owner doctor of SR Hospital and his doctor son is among the six persons who have got infected.