'UP won't be able to lift lockdown even if single Covid case remains': Yogi's official

Amid surging Coronavirus cases nationwide, Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary said that the three-week lockdown that is supposed to end on April 14 will not be lifted even if one case is left in the state. Briefing the media on Monday evening about the current situation of COVID-19 in the state, Additional Chief Secretary Avanish Awasthi said that it is impossible to say if lockdown will be lifted. Earlier, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the lockdown will be lifted in a phased manner.

READ | Uttar Pradesh assembly secretariat to remain closed till Apr 14

READ | Uttar Pradesh to lift nationwide lockdown phase-wise from April 15, says Yogi Adityanath

Yogi Adityanath says lift nationwide lockdown phase-wise 

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had told MLAs during a virtual meeting on Saturday that Uttar Pradesh will lift the nationwide Coronavirus lockdown phase-wise from April 15. During the meeting, he asked MLAs to ensure that social distancing norms are observed in their respective constituencies and ensure no crowd gathers anywhere. 

The CM had also appealed to all MLAs and Legislative Council members to donate Rs 1 crore from their MLA fund and also a month's salary to the 'COVID Care Fund'. He had called upon the private sector to provide financial support in this fund under CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility).

READ | UP: Yogi Adityanath Readies Action Plan With Senior Officials For Post-lockdown Phase

Coronavirus cases in India

Uttar Pradesh has 305 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as per the Union Health Ministry and three deaths have been reported, while 21 have recovered. The total nationwide death toll on Tuesday 111 while active cases surged to 3851. The UP government, meanwhile, also said that it has begun work on 24 laboratories for coronavirus testing in the state. As per reports, 24 would include up-gradation of existing laboratories of 10 medical colleges and establishing laboratories at 14 new medical colleges in the state.

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