Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in the country, has become the first state to conduct 40 million tests a day. The state Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad informed this today in a virtual press conference and said that the state has conducted 40,141,354 COVID-19 tests so far.

Yesterday, 184,000 samples were tested for the presence of the coronavirus. The state government is further planning to increase the number of daily tests in the state to at least 215,000. “We have ordered forty new RT PCR testing machines to increase the testing capacity,” said Navneet Sehgal, additional chief secretary, information department, Uttar Pradesh in the press conference today. He also informed that 98,83,000 people have been administered the first dose of the vaccine. As many as two million have been given second doses.

Of the 24 crore [240 million] population of the state, the health department has reached 20 crore [200 million] people. Thereafter, surveillance and tests have been conducted, informed Sehgal.

As the country is entering its third phase of vaccination campaign on May 1, at least 23 states have announced free vaccination of people above 18 years of age. Uttar Pradesh is one of them. The state government has ordered 10 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Moreover, through sector magistrates the state government will ensure that the COVID19 patients get beds on time. In view of the rising cases, the number of ambulances in the state have been increased. “This has been done so that patients do not have to run here and there in need of healthcare,” said Sehgal.

The state government is also trying to increase the oxygen supply in the state. Yesterday, 550 metric tonnes of oxygen was supplied to different hospitals. “Thirty nine hospital have been ordered to generate oxygen from air,” said Sehgal. Of the total 75 districts, oxygen plants will be set up in 46 districts of the state under the PM CARES (Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations) Fund.

Meanwhile, today the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced free Remdesivir injections to COVID-19 patients admitted in government and private hospitals in the state.

Yesterday, the chief minister had asked concerned officers to ensure that no government or private hospital denies admission to any COVID-19 patients if bed is available. If bed is not available in a government hospital, the patient should be sent to a private hospital.

The state government has also announced to bear the expenses of treatment cost of COVID patients if the patient referred by a govt hospital is not able to bear the expenses of the private hospital. The government will bear treatment expenses as per the rates approved under Ayushman Bharat scheme.

In the last 24 hours, 265 people have died due to the virus in the state. The active caseload stands at 30,6458. However, 834,961 people have recovered so far.

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