Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh (UP) government on Tuesday took the decision of reserving 20,000 beds in hospitals and private buildings in order to setup isolation wards to be prepared if COVID-19 cases see a sudden hike in the state, Hindustan Times reported.

State’s Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Amit Mohan Prasad while addressing a press conference in Lucknow said health officials teams had found out during management of the COVID-19 patients that many of them were asymptomatic. They, however, turned out to be positive with the virus when their swab and samples underwent laboratory tests.

He also added, many of their close relatives were also found to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 after testing.

As per the report, the state health department has now decided to quarantine such asymptomatic individuals in these isolation wards for treatment. The government has already booked 10,000 beds in government hospitals and health centres in the 75 districts, while another 10,000 will be reserved soon.

The district collectors have been ordered to look for lodges, hotels, and guest houses close to hospitals to accommodate such cases. The requirement of 10,000 more beds is to be filled up by hotels, guest houses and private premises, said Prasad.