Restaurants, gyms to reopen in Agra, Taj Mahal stays shut

The district administration here from Tuesday allowed gyms and restaurants to reopen, but with a set of conditions.

District Magistrate P.N. Singh said the facilities will be allowed to remain open till 10 p.m. However, guidelines have been issued which will need to be followed strictly, he said. Masks, sanitisation and social distancing norms will have to be adhered to in all these places.

While the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort will have to wait, other smaller historical monuments could be reopened for visitors, the administration indicated.

Meanwhile, with another death of the wife of a former state minister, the Covid-19 death toll has gone up to 104. In the past 24 hours, 35 fresh cases were reported taking Agra`s tally to 2,353, with 322 active cases. So far 1,922 have recovered.

Health department officials said the recovery rate was 81.90 per cent. The number of samples taken is 81,731. The number of containment zones has again increased to 167.

In August, so far the daily average of Covid-19 hit patients is 31.1.

The neighbouring districts of Mathura reported 54 cases with three deaths, Firozabad 15, Etah 14, Mainpuri 15.

A preliminary analysis of data relating to Covid-19 in Agra district indicates that around 45 per cent (966) of the victims were between 18-40 age group, mostly from the urban areas, while the number of 60 plus was 365, and 752 patients were between 41 to 60 years of age.

With restaurants and gyms now open, the administration will have to be extra cautious in enforcing the guidelines.