Corona spreads to posh areas in Lucknow

The prime areas with containment zones now include Nirala Nagar, Gomti Nagar (Vibhuti Khand, Viraj Khand, Vijay Khand, Viram Khand and Vistar) and Indira Nagar.

Five apartment complexes, including those in the upscale areas of New Hyderabad Colony, Faizabad Road and Mahanagar, are the containment zones now.

The corona count in the upmarket areas has increased at a time when more people are travelling or have returned home to the state capital after lockdown relaxations, according to health experts.

Doctor Narendra Agrawal, Chief Medical Officer, Lucknow, said, "A majority of those who have tested positive in new areas have a travel history. Their contacts in the family have also tested positive."

Doctor Abhishek Shukla, secretary general, Association of International Doctors, said, "In the past, the containment zones helped check the multiplication of the coronavirus cases in the congested pockets of Lucknow and hopefully they will do so in the new areas too."

Earlier, containment zones were made after 10 cases, but now such zones are being marked even if two cases are reported.

Interestingly, one of the buildings that has been sealed is the Shalimar Apartment in Mahanagar -- the same building where Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor stays.

A senior medical official said that in some cases it has been found that the infection spread after the local residents allowed domestic helps to return to work.

In March and April, the bulk of the corona cases in Lucknow were reported from highly congested localities, including Sadar (over 120 cases), Qaiserbagh (over 20), Nakkhas and Naka, among other areas.