Death toll zooms in weeks in 15 U.P. districts

Several backward and rural districts bear the brunt of second COVID-19 wave

While major districts such as Lucknow, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Kanpur continue to be the worst affected by the pandemic, recorded deaths due to COVID-19 doubled or tripled in 15 districts of Uttar Pradesh, including many smaller and relatively rural centres, over the past three weeks. In another three dozen-odd districts, the death toll also increased substantially over the same period. U.P. has 75 districts. From April 15 to May 5, the death count doubled or tripled in Hathras, Kasganj, Mahoba, Chitrakoot, Bhadohi, Hamirpur, Baghpat, Amethi, Auraiya, Jalaun, Banda, Ghaziabad, Sonbhadra, Chandauli and Gautam Buddha Nagar, as per the official data of the State health department.