Amid COVID surge in UP, negative RT-PCR test report made mandatory to enter 3 temples in Varanasi

LUCKNOW: Amid a massive rise in the COVID-19 cases across Uttar Pradesh, negative RT-PCR test report has been made mandatory for people coming to three prominent temples in Varanasi.

“Varanasi district administration has made it mandatory for devotees to produce negative RT-PCR test report not older than 3 days to enter Vishwanath temple, Sankatmochan temple, & Annapurna temple,” Divisional Commissioner Deepak Agrawal said.

He added that this rule will be implemented in local hotels in Varanasi too.

The decision was taken in the backdrop of rising COVID cases in UP. 

Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday reported 68 coronavirus deaths as it witnessed 20,510 fresh cases, it's highest single-day numbers that pushed the state's infection count to 7,44,021, according to a health bulletin.

So far, 9,376 people have died from the infection in the state, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad told reporters. "In the past 24 hours, 20,510 fresh cases were reported while 4,517 people were discharged," he said, adding that the state currently has 1,11,835 active cases. 

A maximum 5,433 cases were reported from Lucknow, followed by 1,702 in Allahabad, 1,585 in Varanasi and 591 in Gorakhpur, the bulletin said. Lucknow also witnessed the maximum of 14 deaths followed by 10 in Allahabad, four in Moradabad, three each in Varanasi, Kannauj and Kanpur, it said.

As many as 6,22,810 people have recovered from the infection since last year, Prasad added. On Tuesday, the state had recorded 18,021 cases. Over 83 lakh persons have been administered the COVID-19 vaccine in the state so far.

On Tuesday, 2.10 lakh samples were tested, pushing the total number of samples tested so far to over 3.73 crore, Prasad said.