Coronavirus: Hotspots sealed off in 15 UP districts, people face stricter lockdown

Lucknow, Apr 9 () The Uttar Pradesh authorities on Thursday stepped up vigil in coronavirus hotspots identified across 15 districts, erecting barricades to stop movement of people and allowing only doorstep delivery of essential services in the sealed-off areas.

The strict measures, meant to contain the spread of the virus, came into effect on Wednesday midnight.

Later in the day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath asked officials to further divide the hotspots into sectors and appoint a magistrate for each of the area to keep tabs on the situation, an official spokesperson said.

All business and other establishments will remain closed in the hotspots and the doorstep delivery of essential commodities will be strengthened, the spokesman said.

The state government had on Wednesday decided to seal off the areas from where six or more coronavirus cases have been detected till April 15 morning.

The identified hotspots include 22 clusters in Agra, 13 in Ghaziabad, 12 each in Gautam Buddh Nagar and Kanpur, seven in Meerut and four each in Varanasi, Sahanaranpur and Maharajganj.

There are three hotspots in Shamli, Bulandshahr, Basti and Firozabad, and one each in Bareilly and Sitapur. State capital Lucknow has eight major and four minor coronavirus clusters.

Reviewing the situation, the chief minister also directed that medical teams be sent to every house in the hotspots for a detailed medical examination.

He said an extensive sanitation exercise should be carried out in the areas.

The chief minister has asked for an audit of existing ventilators in the government hospitals and medical colleges to ensure that all are in working condition.

He also asked for a wide publicity of the Arogya Setu application to alert people about coronavirus patients.

Meanwhile, in state capital Lucknow, where 12 hotspots have been sealed off, police vigil and barricading were in place to completely check the movement of people.

"All hotspots in the city are already barricaded and are being sealed completely till the morning of April 15. All establishments will be closed in these hotspots and the media's entry will be restricted there," Lucknow Police Commissioner Sujit Pandey said.

Since morning police teams are carrying out patrolling in these localities to ensure nobody ventures out of their homes and a complete lockdown is enforced properly, he said.

During the period, only basic minimum supply will be maintained in these localities. Only select cleaning staff will be allowed to enter these areas and fire brigade vehicles will be used to sanitise these areas, he said.

In Bareilly, where a hotspot has been identified, essential commodities were delivered on the doorsteps.

ADM (City) Mahendra Kumar Singh said the area has been completely sealed off.

'Even those who tried to come out of their houses were made to go in. Some aged and ill who needed medical aid were provided help though the 108 ambulance service," the ADM said.

In Sitapur, Khairabad remained under a complete lockdown after it was identified as a coronavirus hotspot.

The Khairabad area is under surveillance of drone cameras, CCTV cameras, district police chief L R Kumar said.

Those tested positive for the infection have been admitted to a hospital, Kumar said, adding police have been deployed to ensure that everyone stays at home.

In Kanpur's 12 hotspots, no movement was allowed with a curfew-like situation since midnight.

All food items, medicines, and household necessities were delivered to people.

Intensive patrolling was witnessed and some areas were sanitised.

Announcements are being made continuously to create awareness among the people about the disease and ensuring everyone of all necessary help by the administration, a senior official said.