Cops got his head shaved and walked through the streets of Fatehpur Sikri. (Photo: Kamir)

After over a month of reporting just a handful of coronavirus infections, Agra appears to have hit the upward curve in April. With five more positive cases being reported on Monday, the total number of Covid-19 patients in Agra, Uttar Pradesh has hit 53.

As the cases continued to rise, the Station House Officer of Fatehpur Sikri, Bhupendra Singh Baliyan, along with 75 other police personnel, got his head shaved and walked through the streets of Fatehpur Sikri to spread the message that "body hair, especially those on the head, could trap the virus".

However, Microbiologist Dr. Sanjeev Chowdhary denied having heard of any study that showed that hair could increase the risk of Covid-19 infection.

LOCKDOWN COULD END ON APRIL 15 IF YOU COOPERATE: ADITYANATH

Alarmed by the sharp rise in infections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath addressed the religious leaders of Agra and said if the people agree to cooperate with the administration and obey the lockdown rules, the lockdown could end on April 15.

So far, just eight people have recovered from the infection in Agra, while 35 still continue to be infected, with two being admitted in Medanta hospital, Gurugram in serious conditions.

A senior doctor taking care of Covid-19 patients at the SN Medical College in Agra told IndiaToday.in that out of the 53, who are currently infected in Agra, 31 are connected to the Tablighi Jamaat event in New Delhi.

Out of the remaining infected, three are doctors while one is a local resident who contracted the infection while attending a wedding in Delhi.

District Magistrate Prabhu N Singh told IndiaToday.in that whoever is being found to have been exposed to coronavirus, is being home quarantined and samples are being taken for testing.

People, who have come from other states and districts to the rural areas of Agra, are being subjected to thermal screening by the health department. A total of 768 people have been screened but none of them showed coronavirus symptoms.

He said that a list is being prepared of the houses and mosques where the Tablighi Jamaat members stayed and they are being sanitised.