India saw a spike of 3,604 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours taking the total tally up to 70,756 the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday (12 May). As many as 87 new fatalities were also reported in a day.

Of the total cases, 46,008 are active and 2,293 are fatalities so far while at least 22,455 people have recovered from the disease.

Meanwhile, two days after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered senior bureaucrats to camp in Agra for COVID-19 containment, the city on Tuesday reported dip in the coronavirus cases, bringing down the tally to 13, a health official said.

District magistrate P.N. Singh said that of the total 765 cases, 336 have recovered and discharged. So far 9,520 samples have been collected, while 404 patients were under treatment. The number of hotspots in Agra stands at 44.

Health authorities said pool sampling was continuing at a faster pace now. Test reports of 15 jail inmates is being awaited after death of one inmate two days ago. The Agra Central jail management is busy upgrading and streamlining medicare and standards of hygiene in the premises.

With initiative for policy planning and execution of a comprehensive strategy transferred to a new power centre comprising six senior bureaucrats dispatched by Adityanath to Agra, the overall situation in the district may now see some improvement and direction, health activists and representatives of dozens of voluntary groups hope Tuesday morning.

(With inputs from IANS)