Relaxation in the air, Agra's Covid tally rose by 5 to 875

Agra : Though officially the lockdown-4 continues till May 31, shop keepers in mandis and bazaars of Agra, have geared up to resume commercial activities as soon as they get a green signal from the administration.

Early Thursday, the street markets were buzzing with activity as more people stirred out of their homes, of course with masks and helmets.

Factories outside the municipal limits have already started, with reduced number of workers.

People are expecting public parks to open up in a day or two. In Lucknow, permission for this has already been given.

The Covid-19 tally in the Taj city now stands at 875, with five new cases till late Wednesday evening.

District magistrate P.N. Singh said the number of deaths was now 35. Two women -- 60-year-old of Saidabad and 75-year-old of Malpura succumbed to Covid-19.

In the two jails screening of inmates continues. At least 19 samples were collected from the temporary jail that has come up in the MD Jain Inter College.

In neighbouring Firozabad, with six new cases, the total number now is 271. A Covid-19 positive patient tried in vain to escape from the isolation ward, but was prevented.

In Mathura, three new cases were reported on Wednesday. The railway stations are now gearing up with facilities as more trains are expected to resume operations in coming days.